§ 22-7. Consideration of ordinances, resolutions and motions.

A. 

Printed form. All ordinances and resolutions shall be presented to the City Council only in printed form.

B. 

City Attorney to approve. All ordinances shall be approved as to form by the City Attorney.

C. 

Distribution of ordinances. The City Clerk-Treasurer shall prepare copies of all proposed ordinances to be available for distribution to all members of the City Council at the meeting at which the ordinance is introduced, or at such earlier time as is appropriate.

D. 

Consideration of ordinances. Each proposed ordinance shall be read by title or in full two times. Except in case of a bill for an emergency ordinance or an appropriation ordinance, not more than one such reading shall be on the same day, and at least one week shall elapse between introduction and final passage.

E. 

Adoption of ordinances. Ordinances introduced at a Council meeting shall not be finally acted upon until at least the next official meeting, except that appropriation and emergency ordinances may be acted on immediately, and provided further that an affirmative vote of at least four members of the Council shall be required for the final passage of an emergency ordinance.

F. 

Ordinance adoption procedure. When adopted by the Council, an ordinance shall be signed by the Presiding Officer and be attested by the City Clerk-Treasurer; published and immediately filed and thereafter preserved in the office of the City Clerk-Treasurer.

G. 

Rules of order. The most recent edition of Roberts Rules of Order Revised shall govern the proceedings of the City Council in all cases, unless they are in conflict with these rules.

H. 

Order of precedence of motions. The following motions shall have priority in the order indicated:

	i.	Adjourn (when privileged)	See notes 1 and 2
	ii.	Take a recess (when privileged)	See notes 1 and 3
	iii.	Raise a question of privilege
	iv.	Lay on the Table
	v.	Previous question	See note 5
	vi.	Limit or extend limits of debate	See notes 3 and 5
	vii.	Postpone to a certain time	See note 3
	viii.	Commit or refer	See note 3
	ix.	Amend	See notes 3 and 4
	x.	Postpone indefinitely
	xi.	Main motion	See note 3

	Note 1: The first two motions are not always privileged. To adjourn shall lose its privileged character and be a main motion if in any way qualified. To take a recess shall be privileged only when other business is pending.
	Note 2: A motion to adjourn is not in order: (1) when repeated without intervening business or discussion, (2) when made as an interruption of a member while speaking, (3) while a vote is being taken.
	Note 3: Can be amended — others cannot be amended.
	Note 4: A motion to amend shall be nondebatable when the question to be amended is nondebatable
	Note 5: Two-thirds vote of members present required.

I. 

Reconsideration.

(1) 

A motion to reconsider any action of the City Council may be made, seconded, and voted on not later than the next succeeding meeting. If reconsideration of the Council action has not been on the Council agenda for the meeting at which the motion to reconsider is made, reconsideration of the item must be delayed until the next meeting when it is on the agenda.

(2) 

A motion to reconsider an action of the City Council may only be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side. It can be seconded by any member. No question shall be twice reconsidered except by unanimous vote of the City Council, except that action relating to any contract may be reconsidered at any time before the final execution.

J. 

The previous question. When the previous question is moved and seconded, it shall be put as follows: "Shall the main question be now put?" There shall be no further amendment or debate, but pending amendments shall be put in their order before the main question. If the motion for the previous question is lost, the main question remains before the City Council. An affirmative vote of 2/3 of the City Council members present shall be required to approve the previous question.

K. 

Withdrawal of motions. A motion may be withdrawn, or modified, by its mover without asking permission until the motion has been stated by the Chair. If the mover modifies the motion, the person that second may withdraw the second. After the question has been stated, the mover shall neither withdraw it nor modify it without the consent of the City Council.

L. 

Amendments to motions. No proposal of a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted as a motion or amendment to a motion. A motion to amend an amendment shall be in order, but one to amend an amendment to an amendment shall not be in order.

M. 

Appropriations of money. Before formal approval by the City Council of motions providing for appropriation of money, information must be presented to the City Council showing the purpose of the appropriation. In addition, before finally acting on an appropriation, the City Council shall obtain a report from the City Clerk-Treasurer as to the availability of funds.

N. 

Deferral of agenda items.

(1) 

A City Council member may defer until the next Council meeting a voting item appearing on the City Council agenda unless:

(a) 

The item previously appeared on a City Council meeting agenda and was deferred by request of a City Council member.

(b) 

Majority of a City Council moves to take action on agenda item.

(2) 

For the convenience of the public, other City Council members, and the staff, a City Council member should announce the intent to defer an item on the agenda as soon as that determination is made.

O. 

Moratoriums. No moratorium on the acceptance of applications for permits, certificates, licenses, or other approvals may be imposed for a time period of greater than 60 days.