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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998 Charter Commission Rules RULES COLUMBIA HEIGHTS CHARTER COMMISSION The officers of the commission shall be a president, a vice-president, and a secretary, who shall be elected by a majority of the entire commission. Election of officers shall be held at the commission meeting each January. An election may also be called, with seven (7) days written notice, by petition of any five (5) members of the commission. Upon a vacancy in any office, that office shall be filled by election at the next meeting of the commission. For all duties herein listed, the vice-president shall serve as the president in the president's absence. In all deliberations of the commission, any of its permanent or special committees or when it functions as a committee of the whole, except as specified herein, Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall apply. The full commission shall act as a committee of the whole. Special committees may be appointed from time to time when deemed necessary by the commission. A. Committee assignments shall be made by the president, with majority approval of the entire commission. B. Each committee shall have a chair, who shall be appointed by the president, with majority approval of the entire commission. C. Each committee shall consist of not less than three (3) members. D. Commission members may serve on more than one committee, but cannot chair more than one committee at any given time. E. All reports from a committee shall be in writing. Copies of committee reports shall be mailed to each member of the commission not less than seven (7) days prior to the next commission meeting at which the committee report is to be considered. The commission shall meet at least once every quarter. Special meetings shall be limited to specific matters and held at the call of the president or by the secretary upon receipt of a petition of any three (3) members of the commission. The meetings must be preceded by a written notice at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. The agenda of the commission meeting, except for special meetings, shall be as follows: A. Commission administrative matters, i.e., minute's approval, appointments of committees, and committee chairs, etc. Introduction of proposed amendments. Reports from committees, including proposed amendments for their first reading. Proposed amendments before the commission for their second reading. Proposed amendments may be presented to the commission by any member of the commission. The proposed amendment shall be in written form with copies available for each member of the commission. A majority vote of the commission members present shall decide what action is to be taken on the proposed amendment. 10. 11 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Committees, including the committee of the whole, reviewing a proposed amendment are charged with the duties of investigating, clarifying, and drafting the proposed amendment in proper form for inclusion in the charter. Specially appointed committees are also to consider its merit and can either report it back to the commission positively or negatively or with no recommendation. If the committee refers a proposed amendment to the commission negatively, the commission can by majority vote of the members present: A. Send it back to the same committee for further consideration B. Take no action, which would, in effect, defeat the proposed amendment, or C. Consider it as the committee of the whole. If the committee does not report a proposed amendment to the entire commission within ninety (90) days, the commission can, by majority vote of the members present: A. Consider it as the committee of the whole, or B. Take no action, thereby leaving it in the same committee. The commission, acting as the committee of the whole, has the same responsibilities as any other committee. A proposed amendment can be considered by the committee of the whole on the same day it is introduced. Favorable consideration by majority vote of the commission of a proposed amendment shall constitute the first reading of the amendment. When a specially appointed committee refers a proposed amendment to the commission positively, it is given its first reading and can be debated. A proposed amendment cannot be given its second reading for at least ten (10) days after its first reading. The proposed amendment shall be deemed approved with direction for a public referendum or recommended to the City Council for amendment by a unanimous vote of the Council, by a vote constituting a majority of the entire commission following its second reading. If the City Council decides not to amend the charter under the provisions of Section 12, the commission can reconsider the proposed amendment, and by a majority vote of the entire commission, the proposed amendment can be passed with directions for a public referendum. In order to transact business of either the commission or any of its committees, a quorum must be present which will consist of a simple majority of the members. All meetings of the commission and any of its committees shall be open to the public. The commission, acting as the committee of the whole, can conduct public hearings on proposed amendments. The above rules can be only suspended or amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present. (Revised 8-98)