§ 10.4. Committee Meetings.

Each Committee shall meet regularly at the time and day specified by the chair of the Committee. Meetings may be canceled by the chair unless a majority of the Committee objects to the cancellation. A schedule of planned Committee meetings will be presented by Committee chairs in January (for February through September) and September (for October through January) - allowing citizens, administration officials and Members to plan and prepare for the meetings in advance. Standing Committees will generally meet every two weeks, or less frequently at the discretion of the Committee chair. The Committee meeting schedule shall be staggered so that there are Committee meetings each week.

A Standing Committee shall not interfere with the schedule of another Standing Committee in the same room. If a Standing Committee runs until the beginning of another Standing Committee, the earlier Committee shall adjourn to another Committee room or adjourn to another time. The chair of the later Committee may waive this rule at his or her sole discretion.

Members shall attend the scheduled standing Committee meeting over the standing Committee meeting that is running over its scheduled time. Failure to attend the scheduled standing Committee at its allotted time shall be recorded as an unexcused absence by the Clerk of Council.

If a Committee member fails to attend a Committee meeting without properly informing the Committee Presiding Officer, the absence will be treated as an unexcused absence and recorded as such by the Clerk of Council. The Clerk of Council shall publish the unexcused absence in the City Bulletin.

Committee chairs shall have the authority to schedule meetings and set the agenda for Committee hearings. Once items have been referred to Committee, the chair shall set the agenda for each meeting. Referred items are not to be placed on Committee agenda without the consent of the chair. However, items referred to Committee shall be placed on the Committee agenda within two regularly scheduled meetings of the Committee. Members may not speak on an item unless it is on the Committee agenda, or upon recognition by the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer, in his or her sole and absolute discretion, has the authority to direct security personnel to enforce Council rules for purposes of civility and decorum.

Members may not always agree with the view of some or all of the other Members. All views shall be heard respectfully without reproach, admonition, or interruption. In any debate of public issues, differences of opinion are to be expected and civil airing of those differences is encouraged as it helps to test ideas and develop consensus. Debate, however, should never become a personal attack which criticizes the character of the speaker rather than the wisdom of his or her ideas. Once the Presiding Officer gives a Member the floor, that Member shall speak without interruption by the Presiding Officer or other Members, unless provided by Section 6.8 of the Rules of Council. Any Member with the floor must yield the floor after five minutes.

If a Committee member requests recognition for the purpose of asking a question, upon recognition of the Presiding Officer, the Member shall ask the question through the Presiding Officer, unless the Presiding Officer allows the Member to ask the question directly.

Any Member of a Committee may propose any amendments or modifications to any matter before the Committee. The proposed amendment or modification shall be considered by the Committee at that meeting. Prior to any vote on a motion to amend, a substantive discussion on the merits of the proposed amendment shall be held. After substantive discussion the merits of the proposed amendment has concluded, a vote of the Committee will be taken on the amendment before a vote is taken on the matter as a whole. If the amendment passes, the Committee will then vote on the matter, as amended, pending before the Committee.

Items not appearing on the agenda may be presented through the Committee chair at his or her sole discretion.

A Committee may consider any matter concerning the city which falls within the area of responsibility assigned to that Committee. A Committee may initiate legislation within its area of responsibility for submission to Council and such legislation, when accompanied by a Committee report, may be acted upon immediately and need not be referred to another Committee.