Martinez Municipal Code Ch. 2.08 City Council Meetings

Meetings of the City Council shall be held at the City Hall Building, 525 Henrietta Street, between Alhambra Avenue and Castro Street, in the City of Martinez or such other place located within the City limits designated by the City Council.

The regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month at the hour of 7:00 p.m.; provided, that when the regular meeting date falls upon a holiday the meeting shall be held on the next day thereafter at 7:00 p.m.

(Prior code § 2100; Ord. 920 C.S. § 1, 1980; Ord. 1039 C.S. § 9, 1985; Ord. 1180 C.S. 1992; Ord. 1237 C.S. 1997)

Special meetings may be called at any time by the Mayor or by three Councilmembers by delivering written notice to each Councilmember and to each local newspaper of general circulation, radio or television station requesting same in writing. Such meeting may be held at any place specified in the notice of the special meeting. Such notice must be delivered personally or by mail at least 24 hours before the time of such meeting as specified therein.

(Prior code § 2101; Ord. 1039 C.S. § 10, 1985)

A. A majority of the members of the City Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business except a Councilmember who has a conflict of interest pursuant to the Political Reform Act of 1974 shall not be counted towards the establishment of a quorum unless that Councilmember's participation is legally required for the action or decision to be made.

B. Resolutions, orders for the payment of money, and all ordinances require a recorded majority vote of the total membership of the City Council. The adoption of urgency ordinances shall require the affirmative vote of 4 Councilmembers for passage.

C. For all other matters, unless the law provides otherwise, a majority vote of those Councilmembers voting shall be necessary for the adoption of any motion, except that a motion shall not be deemed adopted unless at least 2 Councilmembers have voted for it. The vote of any Councilmember abstaining or otherwise failing to vote on a motion or resolution shall not be considered a vote for or against the motion or resolution. Instead, and except in those cases where a Councilmember abstains because s/he has a conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act of 1974, an abstention or failure to vote shall be considered as consent to the will of the majority as expressed by the majority vote on the motion or resolution.

(Ord. 1276 C.S. § 1, 2000; Ord. 1327 C.S. § 1, 2006)

The Mayor shall preside at all meetings of the City Council; or, in case of his absence, a Mayor pro tem, appointed by the Council, shall preside. In case of the absence of the Clerk, the Deputy City Clerk shall act in his stead. If there is none, the Mayor or Mayor pro tem shall appoint 1 of the Councilmen as City Clerk pro tem.

(Prior code § 2103)