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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-46 council meeting proceduresRESOLUTION NO. 2000-46 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UKIAH AMENDING RULES GOVERNING COUNCIL MEETINGS WHEREAS, 1. The City Council has adopted by resolution Procedures of Conduct for City Council Meetings, last revised on November 17, 1999 ("Procedures"); and 2. The City Council has determined to revise the rules governing minutes of Council meetings. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Section 11 of the Procedures is amended to read as follows: SECTION 11. MINUTES/PREPARATION AND CHANGES The City Clerk shall have the exclusive responsibility for the preparation of the minutes of Council meetings, and any directions for changes in the minutes shall be made only by a majority action of the Council. I. Minutes/Request for Detail During a Council meeting any Council member may request the City Clerk to include in the minutes for that meeting a verbatim transcript of any portion of the meeting designated by the Council member. If so requested, the City Clerk shall include the verbatim transcript of such segment in the draft minutes presented to the City Council for approval, unless the request is rejected by a majority vote of the City Council. II. Minutes/Reading Unless the reading of the minutes of a Council meeting is ordered by a majority vote of the Council, such minutes may be approved without reading, if the City Clerk has previously furnished each Councilmember with a copy. III. Minutes/Entry of Statements A Councilmember may request through the presiding officer of a Council meeting, the privilege of having an abstract of the statement of such Councilmember on any subject under consideration by the Council entered in the minutes. If the Council consents thereto, such statement shall be inserted in the minutes. Resolution No. 2000-46 Page 1 of 2 IV. Entry of Protests Any Councilmember shall have the right to have the reasons for his dissent from, or his protest against, any action of the Council entered in the minutes, and shall be made in the following manner: "1 would like the minutes to show that I am opposed to this action for the following reasons:... ". BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the amended version of Section 11 as contained in this Resolution shall replace Section 11 in the Procedures as it read prior to the adoption of this Resolution. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21st day of June, 2000, by the following roll call vote: AYES: Councilmembers Smith, Baldwin, Ashiku, and Mayor Mastin. NOES: Councilmember Libby. ABSENT: None. .~Yl~as~, Mayo~ ' ATTEST: Marie Ulvila, City Clerk 4:Res:CCProc.600 Resolution No. 2000-46 Page 2 of 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1. CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS .......................................................................... I Special Meetings/Time and Place/Notices ............................................................. 1 Open to the Public/Exception ............................................................................ 1 Executive Sessions/Disclosure of Information ......................................................... 1 SECTION 2. AGENDA .............................................................................................. 2 Preparation and Posting of Agendas ..................................................................... 2 Order of Business ........................................................................................... 2 SECTION 3. COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE ...................................................................... 2 Availability to the Public .................................................................................. 2 Authority of the City Manager ............................................................................ 2 SECTION 4. PRESIDING OFFICER ................................................................................. 3 Powers and Duties .......................................................................................... 3 A. Participation ....................................................................................... 3 B. Signing of Documents ............................................................................. 3 C. Sworn Testimony .................................................................................. 3 D. Discussion of and Action on Agenda Items .................................................... 3 SECTION 5. RULES OF ORDER ................................................................................... 3 III. Rules of Order/Failure to Observe ....................................................................... 4 Rules of Decorum ........................................................................................... 4 A. Counci[members ................................................................................... 4 B. Employees .......................................................................................... 4 C. Persons Addressing the Counci[ ................................................................. 4 D. Members of the Audience ........................................................................ 4 E. Dangerous Instruments ........................................................................... 4 F. Rutes of Decorum/Enforcement ................................................................ 4 Rutes of Debate ............................................................................................. Ao B. C. D. E. F. G. Getting the Floor .................................................................................. 5 Questioning the Staff ............................................................................. 5 Interruptions ....................................................................................... 5 Points of Order ..................................................................................... 5 Points of Persona[ Privilege ...................................................................... 5 Privilege of Closing Debate ...................................................................... 5 Limitation of Debate .............................................................................. 5 SECTION 6. MOTIONS .............................................................................................. I. After Motions are Made and Hearings are Ctosed ..................................................... 6 SECTION 7. VOTING PROCEDURE ............................................................................... 6 I. Seating Arrangement for Council ........................................................................ 6 II. Question to be Stated ......................................................................................6 III. Registration of Votes ....................................................................................... 6 IV. Voting Procedu res/Disqualification ..................................................................... 6 V. Failure to Vote .............................................................................................. 6 VI. Tie Votes ..................................................................................................... 7 VII. Changing Votes/Abstention ............................................................................... 7 SECTION 8. RECONSIDERATION OF ACTIONS ................................................................. 7 SECTION 9. PUBLIC HEARINGS ................................................................................... 7 III. IV. V. VI. Public Hearing Defined ....................................................................................7 Submission of Documents ................................................................................. 8 A. Time and Submission .............................................................................. 8 B. Manner of Submission ............................................................................. 8 Notice of Hearing ........................................................................................... 8 Viewing the Site ............................................................................................ 9 Making a Decision ........................................................................................... 9 Conduct of Public Hearing ................................................................................ 9 A. Order of Proof ...................................................................................... 9 B. Time Limitations ................................................................................... 9 C. Manner ............................................................................................. 10 D. Spokesmen for Groups of Persons ............................................................. 10 SECTION 10. ORDINANCES/RESOLUTIONS/CONTRACTS ................................................... 10 Motions ...................................................................................................... 10 Resotutions ................................................................................................. 10 Ordinances .................................................................................................. 10 A. Reading of Ordinances ........................................................................... 11 SECTION 11. MINUTES/PREPARATION AND CHANGES ...................................................... 11 Minutes/Reading ........................................................................................... 11 Minutes/Entry of Statements ............................................................................ 11 Entry of Protests ........................................................................................... 11 SECTION 12. SPECIAL COMMYrI'EES ........................................................................... 11 4:Sec:Tabte. Con (Rev. 10/99) PROCEDURES OF CONDUCT OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR THE CITY OF UKIAH SECTION 1. CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS The Ukiah City Council meets regularly on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The Council meetings are held at the Civic Center Council Chambers, located at 300 Seminary Avenue. Consolidated Resolution Nos. 76-45, 77-44, 87-41,87-45, 90-53, and 97-57 setting forth procedural guidelines for the conduct of City Council meetings, are as follows: I. Special Meetings/Time and Place/Notices Special City Council meetings may be called at any time by the Mayor or by three (3) members of the Council by directing the City Clerk to deliver or mail a written notice to each Councilmember, to each local newspaper of general circulation, radio and television station requesting a notice in writing. Such notice shall be delivered personally or by mail at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of such meeting, as set forth in the notice. The call and notice shall set forth the time and place of the special meeting, which may be at a time and place different from the regular meeting time or place, and the business to be transacted. A copy of the notice shall also be posted at or near the door to the City Hall Council Chambers. No other business shall be considered at such meetings. Such written notice may be dispensed with as to any Councilmember who, at or prior to the time the meeting convenes, files with the City Council a written waiver notice. Such waiver may be given by telegram. The written notice may also be dispensed with as to any Councilmember who is actually present at the meeting at the time it convenes. II. Open to the Public/Exception All regular and special meetings of the Council shall be public; provided, however, the Council may hold closed sessions during a regular or special meeting, from which the public may be excluded in accordance with applicable provisions of state law, including the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code Sections 54950 et seq.). III. Closed Sessions/Disclosure of Information No member of the Council, employee of the City, or any other person present during a closed session of the Council, shall disclose to any person the content or substance of any discussion which took place during such closed session unless the Council shall, by majority vote, authorize the disclosure of such information. SECTION 2. AGENDA I. Preparation and Posting of Agendas Except for documents or information prepared by City staff that is not available by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, but in the City Manager's judgment should be included with the agenda prior to its delivery to members of the City Council, all reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents, or other matters to be submitted to the Council at a regular meeting, shall be delivered to the City Clerk no later than 12:00 noon on Wednesday, six (6) working days preceding the meeting. The City Clerk shall prepare the agenda of all such matters under the direction of the City Manager. The agenda and supporting documents shall be delivered to the members of the Council on the Friday preceding the Wednesday Council meeting to which the agenda pertains. The agenda itself shall be posted in a location freely accessible to the public at least 72 hours before each regular meeting or 24 hours before any special meeting of the City Council. The agenda must include a brief description of each item of business to be transacted or discussed at the meeting, as well as the time and location of the meeting. The City Manager shall review the items to be placed on the agenda and place those items which he or she believes to be of a routine non-controversial nature and are properly documented, on for adoption by a single motion. This item shall be the Consent Calendar, and it shall take the request of only one Councilmember to remove an item from the Consent Calendar. II. Order of Business The business of the Council and the order of its agenda shall be in such form, as the Council may from time to time adopt by resolution. SECTION 3. COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE I. Availability to the Public Correspondence addressed to the Council and received by the City Clerk or any other officer or employee of the City, shall not become a public record until received and filed by the Council at a regular, special, or adjourned meeting of the Council. Correspondence shall not be read aloud at a Council meeting unless requested by a majority vote of the Council. II. Authority of the City Manager The City Manager is hereby authorized to open and examine all mail or other written communications addressed to the City and to give them immediate attention to the end, that all administrative business referred to in such communications, and not necessarily requiring Council action, may by acted upon between Council meetings; provided, however, mail addressed to individual Councilmembers shall not be opened without the consent of the Councilmember. SECTION 4. PRESIDING OFFICER The mayor shall be the presiding officer at all meetings of the Council. In the absence of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor shall preside. In the absence of both the Mayor and Vice Mayor, the City Clerk shall call the Council to order, whereupon, a temporary presiding officer shall be elected by the Councilmembers present to serve until the arrival of the Mayor or Vice Mayor or until adjournment. Wherever in this article the term Mayor is used, it shall apply equally to the presiding officer as set forth in this section. I. Powers and Duties A. Participation: The presiding officer may move, second, debate, and vote from the Chair. Signing of Documents: The presiding officer shall sign all ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other documents necessitating his signature which were adopted in his presence, unless he is unavailable, in which case the signature of an alternate presiding officer may be used. Sworn Testimony: The presiding officer may require any person addressing the Council to be sworn as a witness and to testify under oath, and the presiding officer shall so require, if directed to do so, by a majority vote of the Council. Discussion of and Action on Agenda Items: Under rules, as shall be determined from time to time by the Mayor, the public shall be offered an opportunity to address at the meeting, any item included on the agenda. The City Council shall not take action on any item not appearing on the posted agenda unless: 1) a Council majority determines that an "emergency situation", as defined herein, exists; 2) the Council determines by a two-thirds (2/3) vote or by a unanimous vote if less than two-thirds (2/3) of the City Council are present, that a need to take immediate action on the item arose subsequent to the posting of the agenda; or 3) the item was included in a properly posted agenda for a prior meeting occurring not more than five (5) days prior to the meeting at which the action is taken and was continued to the meeting at which the action is taken. As used in this section "emergency" means an event which will cause a work stoppage, severely impairing public health or safety, or a crippling disaster severely impairing public health or safety. SECTION 5. RULES OF ORDER In the event of questions as to procedure not set forth in this article for Council meetings, the Chair shall be guided by the rules of general parliamentary procedure. I. Rules of Order/Failure to Observe Rules adopted to expedite the transaction of the business of the Council in an orderly fashion shall be deemed to be procedural only, and the failure to strictly observe such rules shall not affect the jurisdiction of the Council or invalidate any action taken at a meeting, which is otherwise held in conformity with law. II. Rules of Decorum Councilmembers: While the Council is in session, the members shall preserve order and decorum, and a member shall neither, by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the Council, nor disturb any member while speaking, nor refuse to obey the orders of the presiding officer. Members of the Council shall not leave their seats during a meeting without first obtaining the permission of the presiding officer. Employees: Members of the City staff and employees shall observe the same rules of order and decorum as are applicable to the Council. However, members of the City staff and employees may leave their seats during a meeting without first obtaining the permission of the presiding officer. Persons Addressing the Council: Any person making impertinent, slanderous, or profane remarks, or who become boisterous while addressing the Council, shall be called to order by the presiding officer, and if such conduct continues, may, at the discretion of the presiding officer, be ordered barred from further attendance before the Council during that meeting. Members of the Audience: Any person in the audience who engages in disorderly conduct, such as clapping of the hands, stamping of the feet, whistling, using profane language, yelling, or similar demonstrations, which disturbs the peace and good order of the meeting, or who refuses to comply with the lawful orders of the presiding officer, is guilty of a misdemeanor under the provisions of State law, and, upon instructions from the presiding officer, it shall be the duty of the sergeant at arms to remove such person from the Council Chamber and to place him under arrest. Dangerous Instruments: No person may enter the chambers of a legislative body, as defined in Section 54852 of the Government Code of the State, or any place where such legislative body is in session, with any firearm, weapon, or explosive device of any nature. The provisions of this section shall not apply to authorized peace officers or to those persons authorized by the Penal Code of the State to carry such weapons. Rules of Decorum/Enfomement: The Chief of Police, or such members of the Police Department as the Chief of Police may designate, shall be sergeants at arms of the Council and shall carry out all orders given by the presiding officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at Council meetings. Any Councilmember may move to require the presiding officer to enforce the rules, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the Council shall require him to do so. III. Rules of Debate Getting the Floor: Every Councilmember desiring to speak at a Council meeting shall first address the Chair, gain recognition by the presiding officer, and confine himself to the question under debate, avoiding personalities and indecorous language. B. Questioning the Staff: Every Councilmember desiring to question the City Staff shall, after recognition by the presiding officer, address his questions to City staff. Interruptions: A Councilmember, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless called to order by the presiding officer, a point of order or personal privilege is raised by another Councilmember, or unless the speaker chooses to yield to a question by another Councilmember. If a Councilmember is called to order while speaking, he shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined to be in order, then he may proceed. Members of the City Staff, after recognition by the presiding officer, shall hold the floor until the completion of their remarks or until recognition is withdrawn by the presiding officer. Points of Order: The presiding officer shall determine all points of order, subject to the right of any Councilmember to appeal to the Council. If an appeal is taken, the question shall be, "Shall the decision of the presiding officer be sustained"? A majority vote shall conclusively determine such question of order. Points of Personal Privilege: The right of a Councilmember to address the Council on a question of personal privilege shall be limited to cases in which his integrity, character, or motives are questioned or where the welfare of the Council is concerned. A Councilmember raising a point of personal privilege may interrupt another Councilmember who has the floor only if the presiding officer recognizes the privilege. F. Privilege of Closing Debate: The Councilmember moving the adoption of an ordinance, resolution, or motion shall have the privilege of closing debate. Limitation of Debate: No Councilmember shall be permitted to speak more than once on any particular subject until every other Councilmember desiring to do so shall have spoken. SECTION 6. MOTIONS A motion by any member of the Council, including the presiding officer, may not be considered by the Council without receiving a second. After Motions are Made and Hearings are Closed After a motion has been made or a public hearing has been closed, no member of the public shall address the Council from the audience on the matter under consideration without first securing permission to do so by a majority vote of the Council. SECTION 7. VOTING PROCEDURE I. Seating Arrangement for Council The Mayor shall sit in the center chair of the Council; the next senior Councilmember (and if there is more than one of the same seniority, then by highest vote count at that election) shall sit alternately on the left and right of the Mayor. II. Question to be Stated Upon moving the question, the presiding officer shall call for the vote which shall be taken first from the least senior member then moving by seniority rank to the most senior member, with Mayor voting last. III. Registration of Votes Any vote of the Council, including a roll call vote, may be registered by the members by answering "aye"for an affirmative vote or "no"for a negative vote upon the name of the Councilmember. IV. Voting Procedure/Disqualification Any Councilmember who is disqualified from voting on a particular matter by reason of a conflict of interest, shall publicly state, or have the presiding officer state, the nature of such disqualification in open meeting. A Councilmember who is disqualified by reason of a conflict of interest in any matter, shall not remain in his seat during the debate and vote on such matter, but shall request and be given the permission of the presiding officer to step down from the Council table and leave the Council Chamber. A Councilmember stating such disqualification shall not be counted as a part of a quorum, and shall be considered absent for the purpose of determining the outcome of any vote on such matter. V. Failure to Vote Councilmembers present at a City Council meeting shall vote unless disqualified by reason of a conflict of interest or where the Councilmember in good faith believes that he or she should not vote on a measure for good cause, such as, but not limited to, not having attended a prior meeting essential to an informed vote on the measure. A failure to vote or an abstention shall not be counted. A measure shall pass only if it receives "aye" votes from a majority of the Councilmembers present at the meeting, 6 provided a quorum is established. Councilmembers abstaining shall be counted in determining whether a quorum is present. VI. Tie Votes Tie votes shall be lost motions and may be reconsidered. VII. Changing Votes/Abstention A Councilmember may change his vote only if he makes a timely request to do so immediately following the announcement of the vote by the City Clerk and prior to the time the next item in the order of business is taken up. A Councilmember who publicly announces he is abstaining from voting on a particular matter shall not subsequently be allowed to withdraw his abstention. SECTION 8. RECONSIDERATION OF ACTIONS A motion to reconsider any action taken by the Council may be made only on the day such action was taken. It may be made either immediately during the same session or at recessed or adjourned session thereof. Such motion may be made only by one of the Councilmembers who voted with the prevailing side. The provision of this section shall not be construed to prevent any Councilmember from making or remaking the same or any other motion at a subsequent meeting of the Council. SECTION 9. PUBLIC HEARINGS I. Public Hearing Defined A public hearing is any hearing which is publicly noticed by publication in a newspaper of general circulation, posting on affected property, or mailing to affected parties. Generally, public hearings can be classified as quasi-judicial or quasi-legislative. The following is a general summary description of quasi-judicial and legislative hearings. The discussion is not intended to change the general California law governing this subject. Generally, a quasi-judicial decision is any decision affecting one, or a limited number of individual applicants, in which the City Council is legally required to make its decision based on the evidence presented during the hearing. Examples of such hearings include appeals from land use decisions by the Planning Commission, such as those concerning use permits, variances, and site development permits. Generally, a quasi-legislative decision generally is a decision to make or amend rules affecting a whole class or large number of persons. The City Council is required to seriously consider evidence presented during quasi-legislative hearings, but it is not legally required to base its decision exclusively on the evidence presented. Examples of quasi-legislative decisions include the adoption or amendment of zoning ordinances, 7 general plan amendments, and other ordinances. II. Submission of Documents In order to give adequate consideration to written documents, the following rules shall apply: Time and Submission: Any written document, whether containing factual information or legal or policy arguments exceeding 250 words, must be submitted to the City Clerk six (6) calendar days prior to the scheduled hearing date. Photographs or other graphic depictions may be filed at the hearing. 1. If the submission deadline falls on a legal holiday or weekend, the document must be submitted the last working day prior to the submission deadline. The City Council shall exclude from the record and not consider any document submitted after the submission deadline, unless upon a motion by a Councilmember, a majority of the Councilmembers present at the hearing vote to consider the document. A decision to consider a document not timely filed shall be considered automatic grounds to continue the hearing, although a continuance shall require a specific motion adopted by a majority of the Councilmembers present at the meeting. Bo Manner of Submission: All documents must be presented to the City Clerk for consideration at the hearing. No documents presented to the individual Councilmembers prior to the hearing shall be considered as part of the hearing record. 1. To be considered, an original and seven (7) copies must be filed with the City Clerk. Upon receipt, the City Clerk shall date stamp as received the original and all copies. Upon request, the City Clerk will furnish the proponent of the document with a date stamped copy. The City Clerk shall immediately distribute copies of the submitted documents to the individual Councilmembers, the City Manager, and the City Attorney. The City Clerk shall retain the original and include it in the hearing record, which the City Clerk shall compile and maintain. III. Notice of Hearing Any notice of a public hearing shall include a statement that anyone wishing the City Council to consider a document exceeding 250 words must submit the original document and seven (7) legible copies to the City Clerk not less than six (6) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting date. IV. Viewing the Site In Quasi-Judicial hearings involving specific property, it shall be the duty of all Councilmembers to view the site prior to the hearing. At the beginning of the hearing the Mayor shall poll the Councilmembers to establish, on the record, whether they have viewed the site. If any Councilmember indicates that he or she has not viewed the site, the hearing shall be continued to the next regular meeting date. In viewing the site, no Councilmember shall have any discussion with project proponents or opponents. In quasi-legislative public hearings involving specific property, any Councilmember may, but are not required to, view the site. In such hearings, Councilmembers may, but are not required to, reveal on the record whether they have viewed the site. V. Making a Decision In quasi-judicial hearings, the City Council shall base its decision exclusively on the record, including documents submitted in accordance with this rule and testimony and oral argument presented during the hearing. Any motion deciding the matter shall include sufficient findings of fact to inform the parties of the basis on which the City Council made its decisions, and to determine whether the decision is based on lawful principles. Where possible, the staff report to the City Council shall include proposed findings for the City Council consideration. In quasi-legislative hearings, the City Council shall seriously consider all documents submitted in compliance with this rule and testimony and oral argument presented during the hearing. The motion deciding the matter need not include specific findings of fact. The decision shall comply with any specific legal requirements applicable to the particular matter. VI. Conduct of Public Hearing As presiding officer, the Mayor shall conduct the hearing to promote an orderly presentation of the evidence by all parties. Subject to the following guidelines, the Mayor shall use his or her discretion in presiding over the hearing. Order of Proof: Generally, all those supporting an application or measure shall present their evidence and argument first. Those opposing the application or measure shall present their evidence and argument second. Those supporting the measure shall be allowed some additional time for rebuttal. If during the rebuttal project proponents present new argument or evidence, project opponents shall be allowed some additional time to rebut that new matter. Time Limitations: The Mayor may impose time limitations on all those wishing to present evidence or argument. The Mayor may prevent the presentation of C4 irrelevant, repetitive, or cumulative testimony or argument. Manner: Each person desiring to address the Council shall step up to the microphone reserved for that purpose, state his name and address for the record, state the subject he wishes to discuss, state whom he is representing, if he represents an organization or other persons, and unless further time is granted by a majority vote of the Council, shall limit his remarks to five (5) minutes, All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a whole and not to any member thereof. No question shall be directed to a Councilmember or a member of the City staff without the permission of the presiding officer. Spokesmen for Groups of Persons: In order to expedite matters and to avoid repetitious presentations, whenever any group of persons wishes to address the Council on the same subject matter, it shall be proper for the presiding officer to request that a spokesman be chosen by the group to address the Council, and in the event additional matters are to be presented by any other member of such group, to limit the number of such persons addressing the Council. SECTION 10. ORDINANCES/RESOLUTIONS/CONTRACTS Official actions of the Council shall be in the form of motions, resolutions, and ordinances. I. Motions Motions shall be used to express decisions of the Council on routine questions or matters of temporary importance, or to give instructions to the staff and shall be moved, seconded, and adopted by a voice vote unless a roll call is requested by a Councilmember. II. Resolutions Resolutions shall be used to express decisions of the Council of a permanent or lasting nature and shall be introduced, seconded, and adopted by a roll call vote. Resolutions may be used to transfer appropriate funds within the budget or to appropriate funds. III. Ordinances Ordinances shall be used to adopt formal policy, in the exemise of the police power, and in other instances required by law. The manner of introduction and adoption shall be as provided, as stated in the Resolution section above. l0 Reading of Ordinances: At the time of the second reading of an ordinance, it shall be read in full, unless after the reading of the title thereof, the further reading thereof is waived by the unanimous consent of all the Councilmembers present. The waiver of the reading of such ordinance shall be accomplished by regular motion adopted by a unanimous vote of the Councilmembers present. SECTION 11. MINUTES/PREPARATION AND CHANGES The City Clerk shall have the exclusive responsibility for the preparation of the minutes of Council meetings, and any directions for changes in the minutes shall be made only by a majority action of the Council. I. Minutes/Request for Detail During a Council meeting any Council member may request the City Clerk to include in the minutes for that meeting a verbatim transcript of any portion of the meeting designated by the Council member. If so requested, the City Clerk shall include the verbatim transcript of such segment in the draft minutes presented to the City Council for approval, unless the request is rejected by a majority vote of the City Council. II. Minutes/Reading Unless the reading of the minutes of a Council meeting is ordered by a majority vote of the Council, such minutes may be approved without reading, if the City Clerk has previously furnished each Councilmember with a copy. III. Minutes/Entry of Statements A Councilmember may request through the presiding officer of a Council meeting, the privilege of having an abstract of the statement of such Councilmember on any subject under consideration by the Council entered in the minutes. If the Council consents thereto, such statement shall be inserted in the minutes. SECTION 12. SPECIAL COMMI'n'EES All special Council committees shall be appointed by the presiding officer with a majority consent of the Council. Such committees shall be temporary in tenure and shall automatically be discharged upon the completion of their charge, or upon an order of the presiding officer or majority of the Council. 4:CC:PROCEDUR.cc Rev:600