Marysville Municipal Code Art. 4 General Order Of Discussion Upon A Matter

Normally, and as a rule, the presiding officer will handle discussion upon any matter appearing on the agenda by following the steps set forth herein, which steps shall serve as a useful guide and not as a requirement.

(a) The presiding officer should clearly announce the agenda item by number and title. Alternatively, the presiding officer may require the City Clerk to make such announcement.

(b) The presiding officer should call upon the appropriate person or persons to report on the item with explanations and recommendations, if any, so as to acquaint the Council and the public with relevant considerations concerning the matter under discussion. The appropriate person or persons may be a staff person or a committee chair or representative of an outside entity, charged with providing input on the agenda item.

(c) The presiding officer should ask Council members if they have any technical questions of clarification, including questions of the person or persons who reported on the item, and that person or persons should be given time to respond.

(d) The presiding officer should invite public comments upon the matter or, if the matter under discussion is a noticed public hearing, he should open the public hearing for public comment. If numerous members of the public indicate a desire to speak to the subject, the presiding officer may limit the time of public speakers. At the conclusion of public comments, the presiding officer should announce that the public comment period, or the public hearing, as appropriate, is closed to further input.

(e) The presiding officer should invite a motion upon the matter under discussion. If a motion is offered, the presiding officer should announce the name of the member who makes the motion, and ask whether any other member wishes to second the motion as offered.

(f) If the motion is made and seconded, the chair should make certain that all members understand the motion before continuing. He may do this by repeating the motion or, alternatively, he may direct the City Clerk to repeat the motion as recorded by the Clerk.

(g) With a motion and second duly made, the presiding officer should open the matter to the Council for debate and discussion on the motion. If there is no discussion, or after the discussion has ended, the vote on the motion should proceed immediately, as more fully described in Section 206 hereof.