Copyrighted by the City of Springdale & Municipal Code Corporation, 1998.
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ARTICLE II. ------------
State law reference(s)--City council generally, A.C.A. § 14-44-101 et seq.
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Sec. 2-26. Meetings--Rules governing conduct.
(a) The city council shall hold two regular council meetings per month, on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, located in the Springdale City Administration Building. Special meetings of the city council may be called by the mayor or by any three aldermen, provided that the notice requirements of the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act are complied with.
(b) The city council shall have the authority to adopt such rules governing its meetings as it may deem expedient. Except as provided by rules adopted by the city council, in all matters of parliamentary procedure Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised, shall govern and apply.
(c) The city council's rules and order of business shall be observed in all cases, unless suspended temporarily for a special purpose of an emergency nature by a vote of all members present. Any member may move at any time for the suspension of any rule, and such motion must be seconded to entitle it to consideration.
(d) If any member, in speaking or otherwise, transgresses the rules of the council, the presiding officer shall, or any member can, call him to order; in which case the member so called to order shall immediately cease discussion unless permitted by the presiding officer to explain; and the council if appealed to shall decide the question without debate. If the decision is in favor of the member so called to order, he shall be at liberty to proceed; if otherwise, he shall not proceed without leave of the council to proceed in order.
(e) A member about to speak shall respectfully address the chair, and shall not commence to speak until recognized by the presiding officer. When two or more members request to speak at the same time, the presiding officer shall determine which one is recognized.
(f) Every member while speaking shall confine himself to the subject under debate, shall refrain from personalities and shall not refer to any other member of the council except in a respectful manner.
(g) Unless a member who has the floor yields for that purpose, no member shall interrupt another while speaking, except to propound a parliamentary inquiry or make a point of order.
(h) No member shall speak more than twice or for more than 15 minutes continuously to any one question, except that one or more additional periods of 15 minutes may be granted by majority consent. The reading of papers desired by any member shall be read by himself or by the city clerk within the member's time limitation unless permission for the clerk to read such paper outside the time limitations is granted by a majority.
(Code 1973, § 2-1; Ord. No. 3953, § 1, 9-12-06)
State law reference(s)--Council (in first class cities) shall determine its own rules and keep a journal thereof, A.C.A. § 14-43-501; except as otherwise provided by law, all meetings supported by public funds, shall be public, A.C.A. § 25-19-106.
Sec. 2-27. Same--Conduct of spectators, preservation of order.
(a) It shall be the duty of the chief of police to be present and on official duty at all special and regular meetings of the city council.
(b) Except during such periods of time at such meetings as the city council shall set aside for public discussion, it shall be unlawful for any person present as a spectator to interrupt or disturb the proceedings in any manner by voice, actions or otherwise.
(c) During periods set aside for public discussion of any nature, any person desiring to speak shall secure the permission of the presiding officer by first silently raising his hand and being recognized. The use of profanity, obscene language, threats or any violent or abusive conduct by any person shall constitute a violation of this section.
(d) It shall be the duty of the chief of police, upon the order of the presiding officer at any such meeting to forcibly, if necessary, evict any person violating the provisions of this section from the council meeting hall. Any such violation shall subject the offender, upon conviction thereof before the municipal court, to a fine and/or imprisonment as prescribed by section 1-9.
(Code 1973, § 2-2)
Sec. 2-28. Filing of petition for council consideration.
Any citizen desiring to submit a petition to the city council concerning an item to be considered on the city council agenda, may present the petition to the city council at a meeting, when the agenda item is to be considered.
(Code 1973, §§ 2-3, 2-4; Ord. No. 3381, 9-23-03)
Sec. 2-29. Consideration of ordinance by ordinance committee.
(a) Any ordinance that has not been subject to a public hearing, such as a zoning ordinance, or has not been referred to another committee of the city council for consideration shall be considered by the ordinance committee before the ordinance is presented to the full body of the city council, unless such requirement is waived by two-thirds vote of the city council;
(b) Any party desiring to present an ordinance to the city council shall provide a copy to the city attorney at least three business days prior to the date the ordinance committee meets;
(c) Nothing in this article shall prohibit any council member or the mayor from presenting an ordinance to the full city council, after it has been reviewed by the ordinance committee, regardless of what the ordinance committee recommends concerning the ordinance.
(Ord. No. 3303, 3-11-03)
Secs. 2-30--2-50. Reserved.
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