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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution-1974-0291 Introduced bV Alderman Merkl RESOLUTION NO. 291 Series of 1974 BEFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COUNTY OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF COLORADO. RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Wheat Ridge acknowl- edges the need for uniform rules of order and procedure for the conduct of its business; and WHEREAS, this Council has before it a draft of such rules which it believes to be desirable and to be in the best interest of the health, safety, welfare and morals of the citizens of the City of Wheat Ri dge. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of Wheat Ridge does hereby and herewith: 1. Approves and officially adopts the proposed rules and directs that they be inexpensively but appropriately printed and bound in final form together with a suitable table of contents. DONE AND RESOLVED THIS 14th day of March A. D., 1974, by a vote of 5 to 1 ~~~-,~# Paul 8 ~bramson Mayor ~ ATTEST: ~'\ ~ r./J<:V --{-jJ--,tL//-~~WL. / Eli Brougham' ./. Ci ty CIE::,k I .. /" Resolution ~o. ~91 - Continued ll) R U L E S 0 FOR D E R AND PRO C E D U R E FOR W H EAT RID GEe I T Y C 0 U N elL W H EAT RID G E , C 0 LOR ADO ADOPTED: 3/14/74 (Revised 03-08-74) COUNCIL MEETINGS 1. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS The Council shall meet in regular session on each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. When a regular meeting falls on a holiday which is officially recognized by the City of Wheat Ridge, as set forth in the Personnel Merit Ordinance of the City of Wheat Ridge, the regUlar meeting shall be held on the next regular working day of the city at the same hour, unless otherwise provided for by motion. The Council may, by motion, dispense with any regular meeting except that at least one regular meeting shall be held each month. The place of meeting - shall be in the Council Chamber. J Copies of the agenda shall be made available to the publiC by the City Clerk and a copy shall be posted in a location convenient to the public in the vicinity of the City Clerk's officeJ 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS J_ Special meetings shall be called by the Clerk on the written request of the Mayor, or any two members of the Council on at least twenty-four hours' written notice to each member of the Council, the City Attorney and the City Administrator, served personally or left at his usual place of residence; but a special meeting may be held on shorter notice if all members of the Council are present or have waived notice thereof in writing. No business shall be transacted at any special meeting of the Council unless the same has been stated in the notice of such meeting. However, any business which may lawfully come before a reg- ular meeting may bg transacted at a special ~~eting if all the members Resolution o. ~~, - CO,ltirued \,,~) of the Council present consent thereto and all the members absent file their written consent. 3. ADJOURNED SESSIONS Any session of the Council may be adjourned, or adjourned from day to day, or for more than one day, but no adjournment shall be for a longer period than until the next regular meeting thereafter. 4. EXECUTIVE SESSION The rules of procedure shall be: (a) An Executive Session may be convened on call of the Mayor or by a majority vote of the members of the Council, and all members of the Council must be sent notification of the time and place of said meeting; (b) Attendance at the Executive Session shall be limited to the members of the City Council, including the Mayor, provided, however, that the Council may by majority vote invite such persons as may be required for advice and information, and regular representatives of the press, and; (c) Provided that no formal vote shall be taken on any matter under discussion. Further, Executive Sessions involving pending or potential litigation, personnel matters, or property acquisition negotiations may be held without the presence of the public provided that the general nature of such Executive Session is disclosed at the next regular Council meeting. THE PRESIDING OFFICER 5. PRESIDING OFFICER The Mayor, or in his absence the Mayur Pro Tem, shall preside at the hour appointed for th2 Council to meet, and shall immediately -2- ( call the members to order. ~he roll shall then be called by the Clerk, who shall enter in the minutes of the meeting the names of the members present and absen~ 6. MAYOR PRO TEM The Council shall choose one of its members as Mayor Pro Tem, who shall serve as Mayor during the absence or disability of the Mayor and, in case of vacancy in the office of Mayor, pending the election of a successor. He shall be elected at the first regular meeting of the newly elected councilmen. This shall be the first order of business after the new councilmen are sworn in and it shall be held by secret ballot without nomination. In case of tie, the Mayor will vote to break the tie. Until one person has received a majority of all members of Council, successive ballots will be taken. ? TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN In case of the absence of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, the Clerk shall call the Council to order and call the roll of the members. If a quorum is found to be present, Council shall proceed to elect, by a majority vote of those present, a chairman of the meeting to act until the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem appears. 8. DECORUM AND ORDER The presiding officer shall preserve decorum and decide all questions of order, subject to appeal of Council. If a member trans- gresses the rules of Council, the presiding officer shall, or any member may, call him to order, in which case he shall be silent, unless permitted to explain. -3- Resolution i o. 291 - Continued (3) 9. QUORUM A majority of the elected members of the Council in office at the time (4) shall be a quorum for the transaction of business at all Council meetings. A majority of the quorum shall decide all issues before Council except for the passing of an ordinance. In the absence of a quorum a lesser number may adjourn any meeting to a later time or date, and in the absence of all members the Clerk may adjourn anlf meeting for not longer than one week. Also, in cases where a number less than a quorum shall convene at a regular or special meeting, the majoritlf of the members present are authorized to send the Chief of Police or other person for any or all absent members, as such majority of members shall agree. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES 10. CLERK AND EMPLOYEES --'~~~-:';';'- -- The Clerk and other officers and employees of Council shall be under the control and direction of the presiding officer during sessions of the Council. 11. APPOINTMENTS BY THE MAYOR Whenever the Mayor shall, at any meeting, submit an appoint- ment to be made with the advice and consent of Council, consideration of such appointment shall be deferred until the next regular meeting. 12. CITY ADMINISTRATOR The City Administrator shall attend all meetings of the Council, unless excused by the Council. He shall keep the Council fully advised as to the financial conditions and needs o~ the city. He may make recommendations to the Council and may take part in discussions on all matters concerning the welfare of the city, but -4- (, shall have no vote in the meetings of Council. The agenda for regular Council meetings shall provide an item for a staff report by the City Administrator. 13. CITY CLERK The City Clerk shall be ex officio clerk of the Council and shall prepare and issue the agenda and shall keep minutes of the meeting and perform such other and further duties in the meeting as may be ordered by the Mayor, City Administrator, or Council. ~ 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before each regular Council meeting, the Clerk shall have delivered to each Alderman, the City Administrator, - and the City Attorney, a cOr:'L!l!...~~.e:,complete set of Minutes for the pre~~~i~g~eet.i~g. The Clerk shall also be the c~stodian of all offic~ documents of the city including deeds, easements, contracts, agr:~me~ts, ordinances, reso~utions, and other official records as designated by the Council for safekeeping. 14. CITY ATTORNEY The City Attorney shall, either in person or by deputy, attend all meetings of the Council. Any member of the Council may at any time call upon the City Attorney for an oral or written opinion per- taining to any question of law, but not to decide upon any parliamentary rules. 15. OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES TO ATTEND The head of any department, or any officer or employee of the city, when requested by the City Administrator, shall attend any regular, ad ~"'jrned, or special meeting and confer wi t!i the Council on any mattf1T's relating to the city. -5- Resolution No. 291 - Continued (4) DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERS 16. RIGHT OF FLOOR When recognized by the Chair, a member shall confine himself to the question under debate, avoid personalities, and refrain from impugning the motives of any other member's arguement or vote. 17. RIGHT OF APPEAL Any member may appeal to the Council from a ruling of the presiding officer. If the appeal is seconded, the member making the appeal may briefly state his reason for the same, and the pre- siding officer may briefly explain his ruling; but there shall be no debate on the appeal and no other member shall participate in the dis- cussion. The presiding officer shall then put the question, "shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?". If a majority of the members present vote "aye", the ruling of the Chair is sustained; otherwise, it is overruled. 18. VOTING A roll call vote by "Aye" and "Nay" shall be taken upon the passage of all ordinances and resolutions and entered into the Minutes of the Council proceedings. Every ordinance shall require the affirm- ative vote of a majority of ALL elected members of Council for passage. No member of the Council shall vote on any question in which he has a financial interest, other than the common public interest, or on any question concerning his own conduct, but on all other questions each member w~o is prEsent shall vote when his name is called unless excused by the unanimous consent of the remaining members present. Any member refusing to vote except when not so required by this paragraph shall -5- be guilty of misconduct in office. A vote taken by recording "Aye " and "Nay" votes by use of voting lights, with the "Aye" and "Nay" votes being read into the permanent record by the presiding officer, shall be an alternate method of taking a roll call vote. Application to be excused from voting must be made before the votes are called for. The member having briefly stated the reason for his request, the decision thereon shall be made without debate. 19. DEMAND FOR ROLL CALL When a vote is taken on any question before Council for which a roll call vote is not otherwise required, and on demand of any member, made before the negative has been put, the roll shall be called for "Ayes" and "Nayes" and entered into the Minutes of the Council proceedings. It shall not be in order for members to explain their vote during the roll call. 20. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE The right of a member to address the Council on a question of personal privilege shall be limited to cases in which his integrity, character, or motives are assailed, questioned, or impugned. 21. DISSENTS AND PROTESTS Any member shall have the right to express dissent from, or protest against, any ordinance or resolution of Council, and have the reason therefor entered into the journal. Such dissent or protest must be filed in writing, couched in respectful language, and pre- sented to Counci~ not later than the next regular meeting following the date of passage of the ordinance or resolution objected to. -7- RtSOLUTION NO. 291 - Continued (5) 22. MAKING MOTIONS Only members of Council, excluding the Mayor and presiding officer, shall have the privilege of making motions. Motions pre- sented by any member shall require a second. Whenever possible, an affirmative motion shall be made prior to discussion by Council. A majority vote of the members present, unless otherwise noted, shall decide all questions. Following a motion duly made and seconded, the presiding officer shall allow an opportunity for discussion on the motion before the final vote on the motion is taken. COUNCIL PROCEDURE 23. ORDER OF BUSINESS The business of all regular meetings of the Council shall be transacted in the following order unless the Council by vote of at least two-thirds of the Members present shall suspend the Rules and change the order: 1. Call to Order 2. Invocation 3. Pledge of Allegiance 4. Roll Call of Members 5. Approval of Minutes 5. Public Comment (Any person may speak on any matter other than Agenda items for a maximum of three minutes, unless additional time is granted by agreement of Council. Each such person must have previously signed the Public Comment Roster.) 7. Council Decisions by Resolution or Motion -8- :Revised 03-12-74) ( ORDER OF BUSINESS - Continued 8. Ordinances on Second and Final Reading 9. Ordinances on First Reading 10. Public Hearings 11. Reports: (a) Mayor (b) City Administrator (c) City Attorney (d) Council Members 12. Old Business 13. New Business 14. Consideration of Council Committees and Commissions Matters 15. Petitions and Communications 16. Adjournment At 7:30 p.m., the Council, after first being called to order if not then in session, shall proceed immediately to the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. At 11:00 p.m., if the regular meeting of Council has not previously been adjourned, further proceedings shall be conducted as follows: All public hearings not previously con- sidered shall be vacated, or shall be opened for the sole purpose of setting the hour and day for the continuation of each public hear- ing; further proceedings shall not extend be- yond 30 minutes afte~ 11:00 p.m. and shall J2 limited to the business then up~_~ ~~nsider- ation, and no othe~. -9- Resolution No. 291 - Continued (10) The businsss of all regular meetings shall be transcribed in the order provided for above unless Council, by a vote of at least two-thirds of the members present, shall suspend the rules and change the order. On the Wednesday pr~ng the regular Council meeting, the - -- City Clerk will have delivered to each councilman and the City Attorney an agenda showing the order of business and indicating the public .-:=--- ~-~ ~ hearings to be anticipated as a result of previous action of Council, -------- Planning, or other commissions, or as a result of P?titions regularly filed. Also listed will be ordinances for first or second reading, - - resolutions, petitions previously presented to the Clerk's office ----'~ ---- -- and any reports of special committees or commissions, the City Admin- istrator, City Attorney or elected officers of the city. At each meeting it shall be asked by the presiding officer if there are objections or are corrections to be made to the Minutes of the preceding meeting as published. If no objections, the Minutes shall be approved. 24. FILING WITH THE CLERK AND DISTRIBUTION Every ordinance and resolution to come before the Council for consideration must be filed with the City Clerk and distributed to the Council one week before it is to be considered. Other documents must 7.!t-. be filed with the City Clerk before noon of the Monday preceding the day on which Council meets. It shall be the duty of the City Clerk to have delivered to , < each Jilember of Council by I: DC '], m. on the Wecnesday before the Council ----- meeting, a copy of all documents other than ordinances and resolutions to come before Council for consideration at that meeting. -10- ( 25. PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS When a question is before the Council, no motion shall be entertained except: (a) to fix the hour of adjournment, (b) to adjourn, (c) to lay on the table, (d) for the previous question, (e) to postpo~e to a certain day, (f) to refer, (g) to amend, and (h) to postpone indefinitely. These motions shall have precedence in the order indicated. Any such motions, except a motion to amend and the motion to postpone indefinitely, shall be put to vote without debate. 26. MOTIONS TO BE STATED BY CHAIR When a motion is made, it shall be stated by the presiding officer before debate. Any member may demand that it be put in writing. 27. MOTIONS OUT OF ORDER The presiding officer may at any time. by a majority vote of the members elected, permit a member to introduce an ordinance, resolution, or motion aut of the regular order. Such introduction shall be made under the New Business section of the agenda only un- less otherwise approved by the Council by majority vote. 28. MOTION TO ADJOURN WHEN NOT IN ORDER. NOT DEBATABLE A motion to adjourn shall be in order at any time except , 65 follows: (a) when repeated without intervening business or dis- cuss ion; (b) when made as an interruption of a member while speaking; (r.) when the pT9vious question has been ordered; and (d) while a vote is being taken. A motion to adjourn is debatable only as to the time to which the meeting is adjourned. -11- RESOLUTION NO. 291 - Continued (11) 29. MOTION TO LAY ON TABLE A motion to lay an the table shall preclude all amendments or debate of the subject under consideration. If the motion shall prevail, the consideration of the subject may be resumed only upon motion of a member voting with the majority and with the consent of two-thirds of the members present. A motion to table is not debatable. 30. THE PREVIOUS qUESTION When the previous question is moved, and seconded by one other member, it shall be put as follows: "Shall the main question now be put?". There shall then be no further amendment or debate; but pending amendments shall be put in their order before the main question. If the question, "shall the main question now be put?", be decided in the negative, the main question remains before the Council. 31. DIVISION OF qUESTION If the question contains two or more divisible propositions, the presiding officer may, and upon request of a member shall, divide the same. 32. AMEND TO STRIKE OUT, ETC. On an amendment to "strike out and insert", the paragraph to be amended shall first be read as it stands, then the words pro- posed to be stricken out and those to be inserted shall be read, and finally the paragraph as it would stand, if so amended, shall be read. 33. At-\END AN AMENDt-\ENT A motion to amend an amendment shall be in order, but one to amend an amendment to an amendment shall not be introduced. An amendment modifying the intent of a motion shall be in order, but an amendment relating to a different matter shall not be in order. -12- ( 34. MOTION TO POSTPONE All motions to postpone, excepting a motion to postpone indefinitely, may be amended as to time. If a motion to postpone indefinitely is carried, the principal question shall be declared lost. 35. AYES AND NAVES On the passage of every ordinance or resolution, and on the appointment of any officer, and on all motions concerning the expen- diture of funds, the vote shall be taken by ayes and naves and entered in full into the record. Each member present shall be required to vote unless excused for cause by unanimous consent of the remaining members of Council present. The vote shall be for or against a pend- ing ordinance or resolution and not the report of the committee thereon. 36. RECONSIDERATION After the decision on any question, any member who voted with the majority may move a reconsideration of any action at the same, or the next succeeding regular or special meeting; provided, however, that a resolution authorizing or relating to any contract may be considered at any time before the final execution thereof. A motion to reconsider shall require the same number of votes as are required to adopt an ordinance or resolution. After a motion for reconsideration has once been acted upon, no other motion for reconsideration thereof shall be made without unanimous consent. 37. EMERGENCY ORDINANCES If an emergency ordinance or resolution fails ~o receive an affirmative vote of all councilmen present, such measure shall cease to be before Council as an emergency measure and shall have -13- Resolution No. 291 - Continued (12) \ the standing that the measure would have had if it had not been read as an emergency measure. 38. PROCEDURE IN ABSENCE OF RULE In the absence of a rule to govern a point of procedure, reference shall be had to Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. 39. SPECIAL ORDER To make any subject a special order shall require the consent of a majority of the members present. 40. ANONYMOUS COMMUNICATIONS Unsigned communications shall not be introduced in Council. 41. TIE VOTE In case of a tie in votes on any proposal other than an ordinance, the Mavor may vote to break the tie. COMMITTEES 42. STANDING COMMITTEES The Mavor shall appoint, with consent of Council, such standing committees as may be authorized bV vote of the Council. 43. HOW APPOINTED There shall be three members of the Council appointed to each standing committee unless otherwise authorized bV Council, the Mavor designating the member who is to serve as chairman of the committee. Vacancies occurring in any committee shall be filled in like manner. The Mavor may also appoint, from time to time, such special or select committees as in his discretion he deems desi~able, or as ~3Y be desired by the Council, to expedite the handling of the business and affairs of the city. -14- 44. MEETINGS Standing committees may hold regular meetings for public hearings on ordinances and resolutions referred to them, in Council chambers. Committees may hold special public hearings on pending ordinances and resolutions, having first given due notice of the time and place of such meeting. Other committees shall meet on call of the chairman, or any two members, to be communicated hV +h~ City Clerk, and shall report to Council without unnecessary delay upon matters referred to them. A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum. 45. NOTICE It shall be the duty of the chairmen of special committees to give advance notice of the time, date, and place of meetings to all members of the City Council, the City Clerk, City Administrator, and other persons known to be interested in, in favor of, or opposed to, the particular matters proposed to be considered. 46. REPORTS When a committee to which a matter has been referred, with instructions to report at a time named in the order of reference, is not ready to report at the specified time, the matter so referred shall, unless further time be granted, be considered as though reported back luithout recommendation. In such case, the committee shall forthwith return to the City Clerk the documents pertaining to the matter, and the matter shall take its proper place in the order of business. -15- Resolution No. 291 - Continued (13) 47. REPORTS TO BE IN WRITING The reports of committees other than the cDmmittee Df the whole shall be in writing, agreed to in committee assembled and shall not be presented unless signed by a majority Df the committee. Copies Df the report shall be available to each member. Documents referred to the committee shall be returned with the report. Nothing in this rule shall be construed to prohibit the introduction of minDrity repDrts. 48. RELIEVING FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION Upon mDtion, Council may, be a majDrity vDte, relieve a committee of further consideration Df a matter referred tD it and Drder the same placed Dn the agenda. 49. SECRETARY TO THE COMMITTEE The City Clerk, or some other city employee, shall act as secretary to the several committees, and keep a record of the attend- ance and business transacted at their meetings. 50. POWERS No cDmmittee shall have the power of employing any person fDr, or Dn behalf of, the city; or incur any expense, unless specifically authorized by the Council. Every committee shall have pDwer and authority to send for persDns and papers and examine witnesses under oath, pursuant tD the laws of the State, and in any matter or proceeding referred to, or before them, and such examination, together with all papers and proceedings, shall be returned to the CDuncil. -16- ( ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS 51. INTRODUCTION All ordinances and resolutions shall be introduced to the Council in printed or written form. 52. REVIEW All proposed ordinances shall be reviewed by the City Attorney and bear his certification that they are in correct form. 53. APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE The City Attorney shall not review or prepare any ordinance, nor shall the City Clerk accept~for filing any proposed ordinance providing for the appropriation of money unless the same shall be accompanied by a form to be devised by the City Treasurer, which - --- shall show fully the purpose of the appropriation and the fund to .----- -- which it is to be charged and which shall bear the approval of the City Administrator. 54. READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS Ordinances shall be read in full on first reading and may be amended. After proper publication, ordinances are read by title only on second reading and are then opened to public hearing. Following / the hearing, ordinances may be amended and adopted in final form. The C1 ty Clerk will have c~~ie_~~_f_~l.~_o!.~~~!LfOr first reading, and ._-~ if amended on first reading, for second reading presented to each councilman preceding the regular meeting. 55. SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCES If an ordinance is proposed as an amendment to an existing ordinance, it shall be reported as a substitute ordinance. A sub- st5,tute ordinance shall be accompanied by an exhibit showing the part of the original ordinance to be amended, properly identified by ..17- Resolution No. 291 - Continued (14) page, section or paragraph reference to the original ordinance, and having a line drawn through the part stricken out and that part added shown in italics or in a different colored ink or underscored. Copies of the exhibit shall be furnished to each member of the Council. 56. PRINTING All ordinances and substitute ordinances, or amended ordinances granting any and all franchises which shall come within the provisions of the statutes of the city, shall be printed at the expense of the persons or corporations desiring such franchises, and 50 copies thereof distributed among the members of the Council and other persons interested in such franchise or franchises. 57. TO ISSUE BONOS No ordinance, or ordinances to issue bonds, shall be passed by Council until the expiration of at least 15 days after the same shall have been presented. 58. REPORT BY COMMITTEE All ordinances and resolutions referred to committee must be reported by such committee within ten days after date of reference, except as otherwise provided in these rules, or at the next meeting succeeding the expiration of ten days. If not reported as above provided, any member of the Council may call the document out of . committee by notifying the City Clerk and the Mayor in open session of his intention. It shall then be the duty of the City Clerk to place ---- the document before the Council for consideration at the next succeeding ---. meeting without any further reference. -18- 59. READINGS Ordinances shall not be passed at any regular or special meeting of Council until they have been read on two separate meetings. Introduction and reading for the second time shall be at a meeting not earlier than ten days after publication of the proposed ordinance. Such meeting may be the same meeting at which the public hearing on the bill is held. No ordinance shall be revived or re-enacted by mere reference to the title thereof, but the same shall be set forth at length as if it were an original ordinance. No ordinance shall be amended by providing that designated words thereof shall be stricken out and others inserted in lieu thereof, but the ordinance or section as amended shall be set forth in full. MISCELLANEOUS 60. PRIVILEGES OF FLOOR No persons, except members of the Council and officers named in the rules, and persons invited by the presiding officer of the Council, or by vote of the Council, shall be admitted within the bar of the Council chamber, and the City Administrator shall direct the Chief of Police to cause this rule to be rigidly enForced. . 61. PERMISSION REQUIRED TO ADDRESS COUNCIL Persons other than members of Council and city officers, shall not be permitted to address Council except upon introduction by the presiding officer or by the chairman of the appropriate Council com- mittee. If anyone other than a city official desires to speak to a member of Council while Council is in session, the member, if agreeable -19- Resolution No. 291 - Continued (15) to the request, shall leave his seat and retire to the rear of the Council chamber, or elsewhere, until the conversation is finished. Any councilman may ask permission of the Chair to introduce any person other than a member of Council. If permission is not granted, the decision of the Chair may be appealed in the manner prescribed in Paragraph No. 17. 62. THE COUNCIL CHAMBER The Council chamber shall be under the supervision and control "-- of the City Clerk of the Council when the Council is not in session. --,- Except as herein provided, it shall be used solely by the Council and its committees for the transaction of public business of the city. If not required for such use, the City Clerk may permit its use by agencies of the federal, state, or city government for the transaction of public business. Reasonable application for such use must be made to the City Clerk in such manner as may be prescribed by her. Any permission so granted may be cancelled or revoked by the Clerk forth- with, where necessary for the protection of city property, the preser- vat ion of order or other sufficient reason. 63. COUNTY, STATE, OR FEDERAL COOPERATION PROCEDURE All proposals for projects which contemplate cooperation with, or financial participation by County, State, or Federal govern- ments, shall be transmitted to Council by the City Administrator. If a city board or commission desires to propose such a project, the proposal shall first be filed with the City Administrator. All pro- posals shall be in approved form and accompanied by proper plans and specifications conforming to the requirements of respective state or -20- federal government. If Council approves the proposal, it shall, by resolution, authorize the City Administrator to make application to the prDper authority. 64. SUSPENSION OF RULES Any provision of these rules not governed by the Charter or Code may be temporarily suspended at any meeting of the CDuncil, by a majority vote of all members of the Council. The vote of any such suspension shall be taken by "Ayes" and "Nayes" and entered into the records. Any rule may be suspended by general consent, if presented tD the presiding Dfficer and if there are nD objectiDns from any mem- ber. 65. TO AMEND RULES These rules may be amended or new rules adopted by a majority of all members of the Council. Any such alterations or amendments shall be submitted in writing at the preceding regular meeting and shall be placed on the agenda under the Drder of New Business. This requirement shall be waived only by unanimous consent, with a recorded vDte of all members. 66. PUBLIC HEARING All those desiring to be heard on a particular issue at a regular public hearing before CDuncil will list their names and addresses, indicating Dn which side Df the issue, whether for or against, they wish tD speak. This list will be handed the presiding Dfficer, who will have all thDse so listed step forward tD attest by sworn oath that all evidence they present will be the truth. -21- Resolution No. 291 - Continued (1S) If both sides of the issue are represented by one or more individuals, the Council will set the length of time to be heard. Each side will be given an equal time to present its case. This will be a total time within lJhich all those desiring to be heard will be confined. Except for liquor violation hearings, the hearing will commence with a brief summary of the matter by the appropriate staff person to acquaint the Council with the circumstences, together with recommendations, as appropriate. Following the pre- sentations of those in favor, then those opposed, the petitioner will be given a few minutes for rebuttal. At any stage in the hear- ing, either side may cross-examine any witnesses theretofore presented but the time for this will be included in the original time allotted. Following the rebuttal by the petitioner, the presiding officer, with the concurrence of Council, will declare the hearing closed, and the question remanded to Council for consideration. No further comment or testimony will be permitted from the public after the public hearing has been closed, except that any councilman who wishes mare information from any individual who had spoken at the hearing, may direct a question only through the presiding officer to the individual and the response will be limited to the question, as stated. -22-