Atwater Municipal Code Ch. 2.08 City Council Meetings

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. CS 973, § 1, adopted June 13, 2016, repealed the former Ch. 2.08, §§ 2.08.010—2.08.340, and enacted a new chapter as set out herein. The former Ch. 2.08 pertained to similar subject matter. See Code Comparative Table and Disposition list for a detailed history of derivation.

Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. The meetings shall commence at 6:00 p.m. Meetings of the Council for the purpose of canvassing election returns shall be at their usual place of meeting at 6:00 p.m. of the first Tuesday after the election to canvass the returns and install the newly elected officers. In the event the regular meetings date falls upon a legal holiday, then the Council shall hold its regular meeting on the next succeeding business day.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

All regular meetings of the City Council shall be convened in the Council Chambers. The Council Chamber building at the Civic Center, 750 Bellevue Road, Atwater, California, is designated as the Council Chambers. If, by reason of fire, flood, earthquake, or other emergency, it is unsafe to meet in the designated place, the meetings may be held for the duration of the emergency at such place as is designated by the presiding officer of the council.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

Study sessions shall be held on the first and third Mondays of each month, if necessary. The place for such study sessions shall be in the Council Chambers or in the Conference Room within the Civic Center Complex.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

A special meeting may be ordered at any time by the Mayor whenever in his opinion the public business may require it or on the written request of any three members of the Council. Whenever a special meeting shall be called, written notice of such meetings shall be delivered personally or by mail by the City Clerk in accordance with state law as it exists now or as it may exist in the future.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

The City Council may, by resolution, establish a policy or policies for the placement of items on the agenda, and may amend any such policy from time to time by resolution.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

A. The Mayor shall be the president of the Council and shall preside at all its meetings and perform such other duties consistent with this office as may be imposed by the Council or by vote of the people.

B. He shall be entitled to, and must vote, but shall possess no veto power.

C. He shall be recognized as the official head of the City for all ceremonial purposes, by the courts for the purpose of serving civil process, and by the governor for military purposes.

D. In the time of public danger or emergency he may, with the consent of the Council, take command of the police, maintain order and enforce laws.

E. The mayor shall preserve strict order and decorum at all regular and special meetings of the Council.

F. He shall sign all ordinances adopted by the Council during his presence. In the event of the absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tempore shall sign ordinances then adopted.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

The Mayor, or in his absence, the Mayor Pro Tempore shall take the chair precisely at the hour appointed for the meeting, and shall immediately call the Council to order. In the absence of the Mayor or Mayor Pro-Tem, the City Clerk, or the acting City Clerk shall call the Council to order whereupon a temporary chairman shall be elected by the members of the Council present. Upon the arrival of the Mayor or Mayor Pro-Tem, the temporary chairman shall immediately relinquish the chair upon the conclusion of the business immediately before the Council.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

Before proceeding with the business of the Council, the City Clerk or the acting City Clerk shall call the roll of the member and the names of those present shall be entered in the minutes.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

A majority of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a less number than a quorum may adjourn from time to time. If all members are absent from any regular or adjourned regular meeting, the City Clerk may declare the meeting adjourned to a stated time and place. Whenever a regular or adjourned regular meeting is adjourned as provided in this section, the resulting adjourned regular meeting is a regular meeting for all purposes. When an order of adjournment of any meetings fails to state the hour at which the adjourned meeting shall be held, it shall be held at the hour specified for regular meetings by Section 2.08.010.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

A. Promptly at the hour set by law on the date of each regular meeting, the members of the Council, the City Clerk, City Attorney and City Manager shall take their regular stations in the Council Chambers and the business of the Council shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the order of an agenda, which agenda shall be established by the City Council by resolution.

B. Matters may be taken up out of the order of the established agenda by the four-fifths vote of the Council.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

Unless the reading of the minutes of a Council meeting is required by a member of the Council, such minutes may be approved without the reading if the Clerk has previously furnished each member with a copy thereof.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the most current, revised edition of "Rosenberg's Rules of Order," shall govern the conduct of the meetings of the City Council.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

All special committees shall be appointed by the presiding officer.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

The only standing committee of the Council shall be the committee of the whole. The president of the Council shall be the presiding officer of the committee of the whole, and the rules of proceedings in the Council shall be observed in the committee of the whole so far as the same may be applicable.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

Any Council member shall have the right to have the reasons for his dissent from, or protest against, any action of the Council entered in the minutes.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

All reports and resolutions shall be filed with the Clerk and entered on the minutes.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and decided without debate.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

Neither the Council nor any of its committees or members shall direct, request or attempt to influence, either directly or indirectly, the appointment of any person to office or employment by the City Manager, or in any manner interfere with the City Manager or prevent him from exercising his own judgment in the appointment of the officers and employ employees in the administrative service. The Council and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the City Manager, and neither the Council nor any member thereof shall give order to any of the subordinates of the City Manager, either publicly or privately.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

Whenever the title of Administrative Officer or Administrative Official or City Administrator occurs in this Code, ordinances or resolutions, the title City Manager is understood to replace it until the old sections are revised for other reasons.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)

A. Before the City Council shall adopt a resolution of a rate change relation to charges for services furnished by the City to the public generally, including but not limited to, service for water and garbage, a notice of the meeting, and its date, time, and place, at which such rate change is going to be considered shall be given by publishing in a newspaper of general circulation in the City such notice at least once, not less than ten days nor more than 15 days before the date of such meeting. Such notice shall in general terms set forth the proposed or recommended rate change.

B. Following the adoption of a resolution changing rates for such services, a copy of the resolution or notice of its adoption (which notice shall specify in detail the newly adopted rates) shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City prior to the effective date of the newly adopted rates.

(Ord. CS 973, § 1, 6-13-2016)