Article 1-7 COUNCIL MEETINGS, ORDER OF BUSINESS, RULES AND COMMITTEES

1-701     Regular Council Meetings--Time and Place.

      The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rock Springs, Wyoming, shall be held in the Council Chamber in the City Hall in said City on the first and third Tuesday in each month at the hour of 7:00 P.M. In the event that any regular meeting day of the Council falls on a legal holiday, the meeting shall be postponed until the next succeeding business day, at the same time and place. (Ord. 1, 7-21-04; 6-1; Rev. Ord. 1938; Rev. Ord. 1963; Ord. No. 1970, 11-15-71; Ord. No. 2282, 12-16-74).

1-702     Special Council Meetings.

      Repealed. (Ord. No. 86-1, 2-18-86).

1-703     Order of Business.

      At the hour appointed by the Council shall be called to order by the Mayor, or in his absence, by the President of the Council, or in the absence of both, by the Clerk, in which latter case some member of the Council shall then be elected to act as Chairman temporarily who shall be styled "Acting President of the Council," and after the roll is called by the Clerk, if a quorum be present, the Council shall proceed to the business before them in order following:

      1st.    Reading of the minutes of the last meeting. Amendment and approval of the same.
      2nd.    Presentation of petitions and reports of officers.
      3rd.    Reports of Standing Committees.
      4th.    Reports of Special Committees.
      5th.    Communications to the Council.
      6th.    Presentation of Bills and Claims.
      7th.    Unfinished business of preceding meeting.
      8th.    Miscellaneous business, motions, resolution, notices, etc.

(6-3, Rev. Ord. 1938; Rev. Ord. 1963)

1-704     Rules.

RULE I
      The rules of the procedure and order of business shall be strictly adhered to by the Council unless they shall be temporarily suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present.

RULE II
      When the Council is in executive session, the Council Chamber or place of meeting shall be cleared of all persons excepting the Mayor and Council members, and such members of the City government as may be requested to remain by the Council, and if required, a record of the meeting shall be made and kept the same as when the Council is in open session. (Ord. 89-02, 2-21-89).

RULE III
      At all meetings of the Council, a majority of all the Councilmen shall constitute a quorum for doing business, but a minority may adjourn from day to day and compel the attendance of absent members by a fine of not exceeding Ten Dollars ($10.00) for each offense, and when required, the Marshal or any Deputy Marshal shall have the power to summon and bring the absent members to the Council.

RULE IV
      The Mayor, or Presiding Officer in the absence of the Mayor, shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Council.

RULE V
      While the Mayor is putting the question, no Councilman shall walk across or out of the Council Chamber or place of meeting.

RULE VI
      Every member, before speaking on any question, shall address himself to the Mayor or proper Chairman by his proper title, but shall not proceed with his remarks until recognized and named by the Chairman.

RULE VII
      No Councilman shall speak more than twice to the same general question, nor more than once to a previous question, without leave of two-thirds of the members of the Council, nor more than once in any case until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken.

RULE VIII
      While a member of the Council is speaking, no member shall entertain private conversation.

RULE IX
      A member called to order shall immediately suspend his remarks, unless permitted to explain. If there be no appeal, the decision of the Chair shall be conclusive, but if the member shall appeal to the Council, the Council shall decide the case without debate.

RULE X
      Motions upon the subject under consideration shall have precedence in the following order:
      1st.    To lay on the table.
      2nd.    To postpone.
      3rd.    To commit.
      4th.    To amend.

RULE XI
      All motions shall be reduced to writing if required by the Chairman or any member of the Council, and when stated by the Chairman, shall be open for consideration, and all resolutions must be written and shall be open for consideration after being read by the Chairman, and no motion or resolution can be withdrawn after it shall have been amended or decided.

RULE XII
      A motion for a "Previous Question" shall preclude all amendments and debate on the main question until the motion for the previous question is decided, and a motion to postpone it to a day certain shall, until it is decided, preclude all amendments to the first question.

RULE XIII
      The previous question shall be put in this form: "Shall the main question be now put?", and effect when sustained by the majority of the members present, shall be to put an end to all debate and bring the Council to vote on the question or questions before it.

RULES XIV
      On the question of the passage of any ordinance, by-law or resolution, the ayes and nays shall be taken, and a record made of the same, and on all other questions the ayes and nays shall be taken when called for by any member.

RULE XV
      A motion to adjourn the Council shall always be in order, except:
         a. When a member is in possession of the floor.
         b.    While the ayes and nays are being called.
         c.    When the Councilmen are voting.
         d.    When adjournment was the last preceding motion.
         e.    When it has been decided that the previous question shall be taken.

RULE XVI
      If the question before the Council shall contain two or more distinct propositions, any member may have the same divided on request.

RULE XVII
      The Council shall keep a Journal of its proceedings, which shall be open at all times for inspection and shall be kept by the City Clerk.

RULE XVIII
      When a blank is to be filled and different sums and times proposed, the question shall first be put upon the largest sum and longest time.

RULE XIX
      All questions relating to the priority of business shall be decided without debate.

RULE XX
      Each councilman who shall be present when a question is to be voted upon shall vote thereon, unless:

      a.    Excused therefrom by the council.
      b.    He is directly interested in the question from a personal standpoint.
      c.    He is on trial.

      In the event a councilman who is present fails to vote, unless excused as aforesaid, his failure to vote shall be considered as his acquiescing in the result of the majority of those who do vote, and he shall be considered to have voted with the majority.

RULE XXI
      These rules may be amended at any meeting of the City Council by a vote of two thirds of the members present, the same being presented in writing and read and the ayes and nays shall be called as in the passage of ordinances.

RULE XXII
      "Robert's Rules of Order Revised, with Forward by Henry M. Robert, III, 1981, and Parliamentary Law at a Glance, by E. C. Utter, based on Robert's Rules of Order Revised, shall be the standard authority upon all parliamentary questions which may arise before the Council, which are not otherwise provided for in this code of rules and regulations. The exception to the authority of Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall be the minutes which shall be prepared according to the Handbook for Wyoming Municipal Clerks and Treasurers." (Ord. No. 81-38, 11-3-81; Ord. No. 87-31, 1-19-88).

1-705     Rule Restricting Making of Contracts.

      Repealed. (Ord. No. 86-1, 2-18-86).

1-706     Allowance of Claims.

    Repealed. (Ord. No. 86-1, 2-18-86).

1-707     Committees.

      A.    STANDING COMMITTEES: The Standing Committees shall be appointed annually, and the persons first named on the committee shall be Chairman thereof. The following shall be the Standing Committees, to-wit:

      1st.    Finance and Budget Committee.
      2nd.    Street and Alleys Committee.
      3rd.    Police Department Committee.
      4th.    Fire Department Committee.
      5th.    City Buildings Committee.
      6th.    Recreation Committee.
      7th.    City Parks Committee.
      8th.    Cemetery Liaison Committee
        
      The Standing Committees of the Council shall consist of not less than two members each.

      B.    SPECIAL COMMITTEES: Special Committees shall be appointed by the Mayor, or in his absence by the President of the Council, or in the absence of both, the "Acting President of the Council", unless otherwise ordered, in which case they may be appointed as the Council may direct.

      C.    REPORTS: All committees shall in all cases report in writing, all reports of committees shall be addressed to the Mayor and Council of the City of Rock Springs. (6-7, Rev. Ord. 1938; Rev. Ord. 1963; Ord. No. 1781, 1-6-69).

(97-03, Amended, 05/06/1997, Prior Text)