HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard Meeting Procedures July 2008
Town of Westlake
POLICY ON BOARD MEETING PROCEDURES
Approved by the Board of Aldermen
July 28, 2008
Policy on Board Meeting Procedures Page 1
Upon adoption of this policy by the Board of Aldermen, the following rules and order of
business will be adhered to.
MEETINGS
Regular Meetings will be held on the second and fourth Monday of each month. Special
meetings shall be called, upon request of the Mayor or a majority of the members of the
Board of Aldermen as prescribed by the Texas Local Government Code Sec. 22.038.
Should the Town Manager identify a need for a special meeting, he or she shall consult
with the Mayor to schedule said meeting. All meetings shall be subject to the provisions
of the Texas Open Meetings Act, V.T.C.A., Government Code, Ch. 551, Open Meetings,
as amended.
Work Sessions may be scheduled prior to the regular meetings on the second and fourth
Monday of the month, as necessary. The time is subject to change at the discretion of the
Board of Aldermen or the Town Manager. Periodic Work sessions will also be scheduled
to provide the Board of Aldermen with time to discuss short term and long term goals.
The general public can, of course, attend such meetings, but may not participate in the
proceedings unless invited to do so by the Mayor.
Executive Sessions are an exception to the general rule that all meetings are open to the
public. Executive Session may be held on the second and fourth Monday of each month.
A special meeting can be called by the Mayor and the Town Manager. The Open
Meetings Act allows closed meetings in a few specific instances where privacy serves the
public interest – i.e. to discuss real estate, economic development, personnel matters.
The Board must keep a record of the meeting and it shall be certified by the Mayor to
assure that all matters discussed in executive session were properly recorded.
AGENDA
Agendas are prepared and posted for every meeting of the governmental body.
The Mayor, working in conjunction with the Town Manager, will exercise their
professional judgment in determining what items of business should come before the
Board. Any member of the Town staff wishing to have an item placed on the agenda
shall consult with the Town Manager’s office and then submit the item to the Town
Secretary.
Staff will post agenda packets on the internet for all Regular Meetings and Work Sessions
no later than the Friday afternoon preceding the week of scheduled meetings. This
should afford ample time for all Board members to inquire into the nature of each matter
to be discussed or to personally investigate the matter so as to be better informed before a
Board meeting.
Policy on Board Meeting Procedures Page 2
The Town Secretary’s office, in conjunction with the Town Attorney, assumes the
responsibility for compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
First item on the regular Board agenda shall be to recite the Pledge of Allegiances.
These procedures shall apply to all meetings of the Board of Aldermen. The Mayor shall
be the presiding officer at all meetings of the Board of Aldermen. In the event of the
absence of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, the Mayor shall designate the presiding
officer. In the event the Mayor has failed to designate the presiding officer, the Board
member with the most seniority shall serve as presiding officer.
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
In regular and special meetings the Board of Aldermen will utilize reasonable rules of
parliamentary procedure in the conduct of its business. Below are examples (not
mandatory) of reasonable parliamentary procedure in certain types of actions of the
Board of Aldermen:
1. MAIN MOTION: A formal proposal to take certain action.
Step 1. Addressing the Chair. (Begin the discussion by having a member make
the motion. Motion should be made and seconded. After this, debate can
be conducted. (Ex: “Mayor, I move the following…”).
SECOND REQUIRED Yes
DEBATABLE Yes
AMENDABLE Yes
VOTE REQUIRED Majority
Step 2. Assigning the floor (Mayor recognizes the member)
Step 3. Making a motion.
Step 4. Seconding a motion.
Step 5. Stating the motion (Mayor states the motion)
Step 6. Debating the question. (Mayor allows debate, with maker of motion
speaking first in debate).
Step 7. Putting the question. (Mayor takes the vote after debate is complete).
Step 8. Announcing the result of vote. (Mayor announces the vote, members for
and against).
2. TO TAKE FROM THE TABLE: To enable an assembly to take up and consider
a motion that was postponed temporarily during the same meeting. Maybe used
at a future meeting if the item that was tabled was posted.
SECOND REQUIRED Yes
DEBATABLE No
AMENDABLE No
VOTE REQUIRED Majority
Policy on Board Meeting Procedures Page 3
3. AMENDING A MOTION Any motion may be amended as follows: “Mayor, I
move that we amend the motion by (adding, striking our, etc. the words…).” The
amendment must be seconded and then it can be discussed. When discussion
ends, the amendment is voted on first. If the amendment passes, the original
motion is then put to a vote as amended. If the amendment fails, the original
motion is put to a vote.
SECOND REQUIRED Yes
DEBATABLE Yes
AMENDABLE Yes
VOTE REQUIRED Majority
4. TO OFFER A SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT: Another way to change an
original motion is by use of the Substitute Motion. A substitute motion is an
amendment that changes an entire sentence or paragraph. It must be seconded
and then discussed. It may be amended and differs only from an amendment in
that if the substitute motion passes it does away with the original motion.
SECOND REQUIRED Yes
DEBATABLE Yes
AMENDABLE Yes
VOTE REQUIRED Majority
5. LAY A MOTION ON THE TABLE: Sometimes a board or committee may wish
to defer action on a motion. One way to accomplish this is to lay a motion on the
table. It is in order to move that a main motion be laid on the table when
discussion on the main motion has or is about to end. A tabled motion can be
brought from the table during the same meeting but is usually done so at a later
meeting when unfinished business is being considered.
SECOND REQUIRED Yes
DEBATABLE No
AMENDABLE No
VOTE REQUIRED Majority
Policy on Board Meeting Procedures Page 4
6. MOTION TO CLOSE DEBATE (call for question): To prevent or stop
discussion on the pending question, and to bring the pending question or
questions to an immediate vote.
SECOND REQUIRED Yes
DEBATABLE No
AMENDABLE No
VOTE REQUIRED 2/3 of members present
7. POINT OF ORDER: Anytime a member feels an incorrect procedure is being
used, he or she can interrupt with a point of order request that requires the Mayor
to determine the correct procedure. The point of order can have no additional
motions applied to the request other than a motion to withdraw.
SECOND REQUIRED No
DEBATABLE No
AMENDABLE No
VOTE REQUIRED Mayor must concede or deny.
RIGHTS IN DEBATE
Robert’s Rules of Order says that debate is the discussion regarding a motion that occurs
after the presiding officer has restated the motion and before putting it to a vote.
When a pending question is presented for consideration to the Board, the presiding
officer shall recognize the member who made the motion to speak first and the member
who seconded the motion to speak second. When two or more members wish to speak,
the presiding officer shall name the member who is to speak first. No member of the
Board shall interrupt another while speaking except to make a point of order or to make a
point of personal privilege. No member shall speak more than five minutes on any
amendment to the question except as further provided in this rule.
No member shall speak more than the time limits provided herein on any subject or
amendment, and such member may use his or her time in any combination, in separate
speech or comments totaling the number of minutes permitted. The Mayor shall not be
obligated to recognize any Board member for a second comment on the subject or
amendment until every Board member wishing to speak has been allowed a first
comment.
Board members shall also have the right to yield a portion of time to another member.
Any member deciding to speak more than five minutes on any question or more than five
minutes on any amendment to the question shall be accorded the privilege without
objection upon motion supported by two-thirds of the Board. No member shall be
permitted to interrupt while another member is speaking.
No Board member shall be permitted to indulge in a discussion of personalities, use
language personally offensive, arraign motives of members, charge deliberate
Policy on Board Meeting Procedures Page 5
misrepresentation, or use language tending to hold a member of the Board of Aldermen
up to contempt.
If a member is speaking or otherwise transgressing the rules of the Board, the presiding
officer shall or any Board member may call him or her to order in which case he or she
shall immediately be quiet unless permitted to explain. The Board shall, if appealed to,
decide the case without debate. If the decision is in favor of the member called to order,
he or she shall be at liberty to proceed, but not otherwise.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Each Board member should be aware of the conflict of interest regulations, including
State provisions and statutes.
When a Board member has a conflict of interest with an agenda item, he or she should
submit the required affidavit (if required) prior to the beginning of the meeting at which
the agenda item is scheduled. Upon introduction of the agenda item, the Board member
with the conflict of interest should announce that he or she has a conflict of interest and
will not participate in discussion or consideration of the agenda item. It is not necessary
that the Board member leave the meeting room.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
Individuals who wish to address the Board of Aldermen on an item posted as a public
hearing shall register with the Town Secretary prior to the Mayor’s announcement to
open the public hearing. Registration forms are available in the lobby. The Mayor will
open the public hearing and recognize individuals who wish to come forward to speak for
or against the item. The speaker will state their name and address for the record and shall
be allowed three minutes. After a public hearing is closed, there shall be no additional
public comments. If the Board needs additional information from the general public,
some limited comments may be allowed at the discretion of the Mayor.
When a large number of participants have indicated an interest in addressing the Board
on a zoning case or another regular agenda item, the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem may set a
maximum time limit for the proponents and opponents and a time limit for rebuttal, if
necessary.
Individuals who wish to address the Board of Aldermen on a consent or regular agenda
item not posted as a public hearing shall register with the Town Secretary prior to the
Mayor’s reading of the agenda item. Registration forms are available in the lobby. The
Mayor will recognize individuals who wish to come forward to speak for or against the
item. The speaker will state their name and address for the record and shall be allowed
three minutes.