I. Except for the regular Common Council Meeting for October 2006, which shall be held on Thursday, October 7, 2010, regular meetings of the Common Council shall be held on the second Thursday of each month. The meeting shall be held at 7:30 o'clock in the evening. (Amended by Council Resolutions - 10/8/87, 8/13/92, 2/9/95, 11/14/96, 11/13/97, 8/13/98, 8/9/00, 5/9/02, 11/10/05, 12/2/09)
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II. Special meetings of the Common Council may be ordered by the Common Council or may be called by the Mayor, or in case of his/her refusal to act, by any five (5) Council Members. (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/8/87)
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III. At the hour appointed for any Regular or Special Council meeting the Mayor, or in his/her absence the President of the Council shall call the meeting to order. The Clerk shall then call the roll and announce whether or not a quorum be present. If a quorum be present, the Council shall then proceed with its business. If no quorum be present, that fact shall be entered on the journal and the Council shall adjourn to such time as those present shall decide. (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/8/87)
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IV. The Order of Business shall be as follows:
(A) Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.
(B) Report of Director of Finance and Personnel.
(C) Notices and Discussions.
(D) Bills, accounts and estimates.
(E) Appointments.
(F) Reports of Standing Committees.
(G) Reports of Special Committees.
(H) Unfinished Business.
(I) New Business. (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/8/87)
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V. Following
each organization meeting of the Common Council on the third Tuesday in April
and no later than within ten (10) days thereof, the President of the Common
Council shall appoint the standing committees of the Council and each committee
shall elect a Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary.
The Council President shall further be responsible for appointing six
(6) members to two of the standing committees and five (5) members to one of
the standing committees. Once Council
Members have been appointed to a standing committee during the regular two-year
session, a Council Member may voluntarily agree to be reappointed to another
standing committee if the Council President approves of said reappointment.
(Amended by Council Resolution – 3/11/04)The committees to be appointed in
accordance with this rule shall include the following standing committees to
consist of six (6) Council Members each except that one of the standing
committees shall have five (5) Council Members:
Finance and Personnel; Highways, Properties and Utilities; Judiciary and
Administration. Unless there is a
vacancy on the Council, the Council Member who is elected President of the
Council shall appoint himself/herself a member of one of the three standing committees and shall vote thereon. The Council President may, should there be a
vacancy on the Council, appoint himself/herself to a standing committee to fill
a vacancy on such committee or delay his or her appointment to a standing
committee until the vacancy is filled.
Immediately after appointment of the committees, the members of each
committee shall meet and elect its officers.
The Chair shall preside at all subsequent meetings of the committee and
in his/her absence, the Vice-Chair shall preside. The Secretary shall record all votes taken by
the committee on matters referred to it on forms provided therefor, and shall
keep a permanent record of such votes and shall perform such additional duties
as are necessary to carry out the functions of the committee. (Amended by Council Resolutions - 6/8/95
& 3/11/04)
Matters
concerning ordinances, judiciary, annexations, re-zonings, conditional uses and
policy matters concerning police, fire, licenses, health, contracts, La Crosse
Centers, airport or other departments, agencies, boards or commissions,
congressional or state legislative matters, quiet zones, waiver of 2,500-foot
rule shall be referred to the Judiciary and Administration Committee. Matters concerning bonds, sinking funds, TIF,
salaries, insurance, special claims, current bills, purchase of supplies and
equipment, printing, personnel matters, residency, and all other expenditures
or budgetary matters shall be referred to the Finance and Personnel
Committee. (Amended by Council
Resolutions - 10/14/93 & 6/12/03)
Matters
concerning grounds, buildings, parks, playgrounds, assessments, CDBG, Plans and
Specs, schools, lighting, parking and water utilities, telephone, power, plats,
railroads, streets and alleys, easements, leases, ISTEA, property acquisition
and sales, and sewers shall be referred to the Highways, Properties and
Utilities Committee. (Amended by Council
Resolution – 6/12/03)
All matters
pending before the Council and undisposed of at any meeting shall be referred
to the appropriate committee unless otherwise directed by the Council.
Meetings of
the Judiciary and Administration Committee shall be held on Tuesday of the week
immediately preceding each regular meeting of the Council. The meeting shall be held at 7:30 p.m. except
that the regular April 2011 Meeting which shall be held on Wednesday, April 6
2011 at 7:30 p.m. (Amended by Council
Resolutions – 8/9/00, 5/9/02, 9/9/04, 2/10/05, 11/10/05, 12/14/06, 12/13/07,
4/9/09, 12/10/09, 12/14/10)
Meetings of
the Highways, Properties and Utilities Committee shall be held at 7:30 p.m. on
Wednesday of the week immediately preceding each regular meeting of the
Council, except the regular April 2011 Meeting shall be held on Wednesday,
April 6, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. (Amended by Council Resolutions - 8/12/99, 8/9/00,
5/9/02, 11/13/03, 11/10/05 12/14/06, 12/13/07, 12/10/08, 4/9/09, 12/10/09,
12/14/10)
Meetings of
the Finance and Personnel Committee shall be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday of
the week immediately preceding each regular meeting of the Council except for
the regular October 2010 Meeting which shall be held on Wednesday, September
29, 2010 at 6:30. (Amended by Council Resolutions - 8/12/99, 8/9/00, 5/9/02,
9/11/03, 11/13/03, 11/10/05 & 12/14/06, 12/13/07, 12/10/08, 4/7/09,
12/10/09)
All public
hearings pertaining to matters in each respective committee's
hands shall be held at the time of their scheduled meeting. Public hearings before the respective
standing committees shall be limited to 15 minutes for the proponents, 15
minutes for the opponents and 3 minute rebuttal for each side unless such time
is extended by a majority vote of the committee. With respect to those matters that require a
public hearing per state law, federal law or ordinance, those matters shall not
be subject to the same time limitations and shall be subject to reasonable
limitations as approved on a case-by-case basis by a majority of the standing
committee before which such
required public hearing is held. All
speakers at a public hearing of the standing committees shall speak no more
than three (3) minutes unless waived by the Chair or a majority of the
Committee. (Amended by Council
Resolution – 7/12/01)
The Mayor,
Chair or majority of a Committee may call special meetings of a standing
committee. (Amended by Council
Resolution - 10/8/87)
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VI. Meetings of the Committee of the Whole shall be held the Tuesday immediately preceding the monthly Council meetings at 7:30 p.m., except for the committee of the whole meetings which fall on the same day as the spring election when Council members are elected in April and general election in November which committee of the whole meeting will be held on the Monday preceding the monthly Council meeting, and the regular August 2007 Committee of the Whole which shall be held on Wednesday, August 8, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. due to the previously scheduled national event known as Neighborhood Watch Night Out. The President of the Council shall call the meeting to order and the Chair of each standing committee shall report on all matters before their committee which may be voted on by one (1) vote as approval of the respective committee reports, except those matters that consist of items for which the public has requested to speak on, that require a public hearing, or are items the Mayor or a Common Council member wishes to speak on, which shall be voted on separately. The City Clerk and/or City Attorney shall provide an agenda for the Committee of the Whole meeting to consist of the various items pending before the standing committees along with the recommendation of the standing committee and the vote of each respective standing committee.
The City Clerk and/or City Attorney shall provide such agenda for the Committee of the Whole Meeting by mail on the Friday preceding such Committee of the Whole Meeting as complete as possible. In the absence of the Council President the Chair of the Judiciary and Administration Committee shall call the meeting to order, in the absence of the Chair of the Judiciary and Administration Committee the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee, and in the absence of the Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee the Chair of the Highways, Property and Utilities Committee. The Mayor may preside at special Committee of the Whole meetings. (Amended by Council Resolutions - 9/l7/91, 8/13/92, 5/13/93, 2/9/95, 11/14/96, 11/13/97, 6/8/00, 8/9/00, 5/9/02, 11/10/05 & 12/14/06)
The procedure for public hearings before the Committee of the Whole shall be as follows:
(1) The proponents shall be allowed a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes of speaking time. After this allotted time, the Council may ask questions of the proponents and the proponents may respond, but not engage in further debate.
(2) The opponents shall then be allowed a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes of speaking time. After this allotted time, the Council may ask questions of the opponents and the opponents may respond, but not engage in further debate.
(3) Each side shall then be allowed an additional three (3)minutes for rebuttal.
(4) After the proponents and opponents have used their speaking time, the Council may ask further questions of the speakers who may respond, but may not engage in further debate.
(5) No speaker's time shall be extended except by a majority vote of the Council members present.
(6) The floor will then be closed to public participation and open for Council discussion.
(7) Any person who desires to submit written statements for forwarding to the Council prior to the Council meeting must submit nineteen (19) copies to the City Clerk by 4:00 P.M. preceding the Council meeting. (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/8/87)
(8) All speakers at a public hearing of the Committee of the Whole shall speak no more than three (3) minutes unless waived by the Chair or a majority of the Committee. (Amended by Council Resolution – 7/12/01)
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VII. The Chair of all standing committees of the Council, the President of the Council and the Mayor shall constitute a special committee of which the Mayor shall be Chair and which shall be known as the Executive Committee. Such committee shall hold a meeting at any reasonable time upon the request of the Mayor, or any two members of said committee, and shall act as a liaison committee and further aid in development of programs for the good of the City. (Amended by Council Resolution - 5/13/99, 4/9/09)
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VIII. Each ordinance shall receive two (2) readings previous to its passage, but shall not have its second reading on the same day as the first reading. Unless otherwise directed by the Council, all resolutions shall be reduced to writing before being introduced, shall be acted on by the Council only at a subsequent meeting not held the same day and only upon report of the appropriate Council committee, provided, however, resolutions awarding public construction contracts are exempt from this provision. All ordinances and resolutions shall be introduced by the Mayor or no more than two Council Members. All ordinances and resolutions shall be in as complete a detail as possible when introduced. (Amended by Council Resolutions - 10/8/87, 5/10/90 & 6/8/00)
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IX. No person shall speak more than twice upon any question without first obtaining leave of the Council.
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X. After all members who wish have spoken, a roll call shall be called upon the request of any member and the City Clerk or presiding secretary shall then record the votes. (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/8/87)
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XI. Any member voting on the prevailing side may move a reconsideration at the same or succeeding meeting and if a majority of members present shall be in favor of a reconsideration, the subject shall be before the Council for further action. Reconsideration by a member on the prevailing side may also be requested at a special Council meeting following action on the question provided the item for reconsideration is placed on the agenda of such special Council meeting. (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/8/87)
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XII. It shall be the duty of the City Clerk, in addition to his/her other duties, to record all ordinances passed by the Council in a suitable book and to furnish the Chairs of the committees, all Council Members, and other City officers with the resolutions and other matters that may be referred to them and to perform all such other clerical duties as may be required by the Council. (Amended by Council Resolutions - 10/7/87 & 10/10/91)
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XIII. Except where governed by these rules or other sections of this Code, or the laws of the State of Wisconsin, the business of the Council shall be conducted in accordance with "Robert's Rules of Order Revised". (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/8/87)
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XIV. These rules may be amended at any regular meeting of the Council with a concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present, provided the amendment be introduced in writing at a previous meeting.
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XV. These rules of procedure and order of business shall be invariably adhered to unless the same be temporarily suspended by a minimum of two-thirds vote of the members of the Council voting on the proposed suspension. Applications for Conditional Use Permits and ordinances rezoning property may not be introduced unless submitted to the City Clerk’s Office by no later than noon on the Wednesday previous to the regular Thursday Common Council Meeting. (Amended by Council Resolutions – 5/8/80, 10/7/87 & 10/9/03)
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XVI. All Council Members, the Mayor, and Board of Public Works, shall receive notices of any regular or special meeting of the Council and also notice of regular or special committee meetings which notice shall be forwarded through the mail, unless the time shall not be sufficient to secure the delivery thereof before the meeting covered by such notice. (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/7/87)
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XVII. The City Clerk shall seasonably send notices of referred matters before the Council to all Council Members, to all members of the Boards, Commissions and other officials who may have matters pending before the Council, and it is further expressly made the duty of such department or official having charge of any referred matter to determine when such matter will be considered by the committee in charge and to make inquiry from the Chair of the committee to ascertain whether it will be necessary or desirable for someone from such department or such official to attend the meeting to inform the Council upon the subject to be considered. (Amended by Council Resolution - 10/7/87)
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XVIII. Should a matter referred to a standing committee of the Council be tabled or held in such committee, such shall be reported to the Council by the committee chair and the Council may by a majority vote take up the matter. (Adopted by Council Resolution - 9/9/82 & Amended by Council Resolution - 10/7/87)
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XIX. No more than two (2) regular monthly standing Committee meetings (Judiciary & Administration Committee, Highways, Properties & Utilities Committee and Finance & Personnel Committee) shall take place on the same day or evening, provided, however, if two (2) regular monthly standing Committee meetings are scheduled on the same day or evening, they shall be scheduled at least one (1) hour apart. (Adopted by Council Resolution - 12/13/90)
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XX. In addition to being an ex officio member of the standing committees and voting member of one of the standing committees, the Council President may act as a voting member of any standing committee in cases where a quorum is not present in order that such standing committee may conduct business. (Created by Council Resolution – 5/13/93)
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XXI. Any change to the Finance & Personnel Committee recommended annual operating budget that increases the number of full-time city employee positions or any proposed additions of full-time employee positions that occur during the term of the City's Annual Operating Budget shall require an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the Common Council members present at the time that such proposed increase or addition is considered. (Created by Council Resolution - 2/13/97)
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XXII. Those Council Members who are consecutively absent for a period of sixty days or more from Council Meetings, Committee of the Whole and standing committee meetings shall not receive their salary and expenses for said corresponding period of time for said absence unless said absences are for good cause as determined by the Council President with the right to appeal to the entire council, including matters beyond the control of the Council Member. (Created by Council Resolution – 10/13/05)
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XXIII. Except as provided in Wis. Stats. 43.58(4), as amended and superseded, and any other applicable state law, any new regular full-time position created by the City of La Crosse for the succeeding budget year shall be referred by the Director of Human Resources to the August Finance and Personnel Committee, Committee of the Whole, and Common Council, prior to the budget going before Council. Approval of positions shall require a majority vote. (Created 7/15/09)
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