Laserfiche WebLink
VI PRESIDING OFFICER. The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the city council. <br />A. Role of the presiding officer. The presiding officer shall preserve order, enforce the City <br />Council Rules of Order as adopted in VII, and determine, without debate, all questions of <br />procedure and order, subject to the final decision of the council on appeal as provided in <br />VI-D. The presiding officer shall determine which member has the right to speak and <br />may move matters to a vote once the officer has determined that all members have <br />spoken. The presiding officer may determine whether a motion or proposed amendment <br />is in order and may call members to order. <br />B. Adjourning meetings. If considered necessary, because of grave disorder, the presiding <br />officer may adjourn or continue the meeting to another time or suspend the meeting for a <br />specified time. <br />C. Designation of a sergeant -at -arms. The presiding officer may request that local law <br />enforcement designate a member to serve as a sergeant -at -arms at city council meetings. <br />The sergeant -at -arms shall carry out all orders or instructions given by the presiding <br />officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at meetings. <br />D. Motions and voting. The presiding officer may make motions, second motions, speak on <br />any questions, and vote on any matter properly before the council. <br />E. Absences of the presiding officer. In the absence of the mayor, the acting mayor shall <br />preside. In the absence of both the mayor and the acting mayor, the city <br />clerk/administrator shall call the meeting to order. The first order of business shall be to <br />select a presiding officer for the meeting from the members present. The city <br />clerk/administrator shall preside until the council members present choose a member to <br />act as presiding officer. <br />F. Appeals of rulings of the presiding officer. Any member of the council may appeal to <br />the full council a ruling on order or procedure made by the presiding officer. <br />1. Procedure for appeals. An appeal is made by motion. No second is need for <br />the motion. The member making the motion may speak once solely on the <br />question involved, and the presiding officer may speak once solely to explain <br />his or her ruling, but no other council member may participate in the <br />discussion. <br />2. Once both the maker of the motion and the presiding officer have spoken, the <br />matter must be voted upon by the council as a whole. <br />3. The appeal shall be sustained if it is approved by a majority of the members <br />present, exclusive of the presiding officer. <br />G. Temporary designation of a presiding officer. The presiding officer may choose to <br />designate a temporary presiding officer before participating in debate on a given matter. <br />In the alternative, the council may by majority vote designate a temporary presiding <br />officer to preside over the debate on a given matter. The presiding officer shall resume <br />presiding as soon as action on the matter is concluded. <br />VII. RULES OF ORDER. The proceedings of the city council shall be conducted in accordance <br />with the Minnesota Mayors Association Rules of Order for City Councils. <br />Minnesota <br />Mayors 46 <br />Association <br />