Article V

Addressing City Council or City Commissions, Committees or Boards

• A. Every agenda for regular or regular adjourned meetings shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the City Council or any commission, committee or board of the City on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Legislative Body, provided that no action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless the action is otherwise authorized by subsection B of Section 2.04.075.

• B. The Legislative Body may adopt reasonable regulations to ensure that the intent of subsection A of this section is carried out, including, but not limited to, regulations limiting the total amount of time allocated for public testimony on particular issues and for each individual speaker.

• (Ord. 358-90 § 3, 1990)

Article VI Voting

Each member of the Council shall publicly report his/her vote. (Ord. 93-72 § 42, 1972; Ord. 820-16 § 4, 2016)

Article VII Decorum

While the Council is in session, the members must preserve order and decorum, and a member shall neither, by conversation or otherwise, delay nor interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the Council nor disturb any members while speaking or refuse to obey the orders of the Council or its presiding officer, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (Ord. 93-72 § 50, 1972)

In the event that any meeting is willfully interrupted by a person or a group of persons so as to render the orderly conduct of such meeting unfeasible, those individuals may be removed from the meeting room at the order of the Presiding Officer, unless permission to continue is granted by a majority vote of the Council.

(Ord. 93-72 § 51, 1972; Ord. 478-96 § 5, 1996; Ord. 908-22 § 3, 2022)

The Chief of Police, or such members of the Union City Police Department as may be designated by the Chief of Police, shall be sergeant-at-arms of the Council meetings and shall be present at such meetings when requested by the Mayor or City Manager. He/she, or they, shall carry out all orders and instructions given by the Presiding Officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the Council meeting. Any member of the Council or other person willfully interrupting a meeting so as to render the orderly conduct of such meeting unfeasible is guilty of committing a misdemeanor. The penalty for such misdemeanor, after conviction, shall be punished as provided in Chapter 1.16.

(Ord. 93-72 § 52, 1972; Ord. 908-22 § 3, 2022)

In the event that any meeting is willfully interrupted by a person, group or groups of persons so as to render the orderly conduct of such meeting unfeasible and order cannot be restored by the removal of individuals who are willfully interrupting the meeting, the members of the City Council conducting the meeting may order the meeting room cleared and continue in session. Only matters appearing on the agenda may be considered in such a session. Duly accredited representatives of the press or other news media, except those participating in the disturbance, shall be allowed to attend any session held pursuant to this section and Section 2.04.270. Nothing in this section or Section 2.04.270 shall prohibit the City Council from establishing a procedure for readmitting an individual or individuals not responsible for willfully disturbing the orderly conduct of the meeting.

(Ord. 93-72 § 52, 1972; Ord. 478-96 § 6, 1996)

No person shall display a hand-held sign, placard or banner within the City Council Chambers during any Council meeting, which obstructs the view of any person within the Chambers, or which disrupts, disturbs or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting. (Ord. 478-96 § 7, 1996)