Chapter IV - Council

Section 1. Meetings.

The Council shall hold a regular meeting at least once each month in the City at a time and at a place which it designates. It shall adopt rules for the government of its members and proceedings, and shall provide for keeping a journal of its proceedings. This journal shall be a public record. All records of the proceedings shall be approved by the Council at a meeting of the Council. The Mayor may, or at the request of three Council Members shall, by giving notice thereof to all Council Members then in the City, call a special meeting of the Council to be held not earlier than twenty-four (24) hours after notice is given. In the event of an actual emergency, a meeting of the Council may be held upon such notice as is appropriate to the circumstances. No action by the Council shall have legal effect unless the motion for the action and vote by which it is disposed of takes place at proceedings open to the public.

Section 2. Voting.

Voting, except on procedural motions, shall be by roll call and the ayes and nays shall be recorded in the journal. Five Council Members shall constitute a quorum, but a small number may adjourn from time to time and may compel the attendance of absent members in the manner and subject to the penalties prescribed by the rules of the Council. No action of the Council, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, shall be valid unless adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum of the Council. No Council Member shall be liable or questioned in any other place for words uttered in debate therein.

Section 3. Conflict of Interest.

Neither the Mayor nor any Council Member shall, during the period for which each person is elected or serving as such, be financially interested in any contract affecting the City.

Section 4. Mayor's Functions at Council Meetings.

The Mayor shall chair Council meetings and preside over its deliberations. The Mayor shall have a vote on all questions before the Council resulting in a tie vote. The Mayor shall have authority to preserve order, enforce the rules of the Council, and determine the order of business under the rules of the Council. The Mayor must sign all records of Council decisions. The Mayor serves as the political head of the City government.

Section 5. President of the Council.

At first regular meeting of the common Council in January of each year, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the Council shall choose by ballot one of its members to preside over the Council and perform the duties of Mayor in the absence of the Mayor from the City, or if the Mayor be, from any cause, unable to act as Mayor, the president of the Council shall preside over the Council meetings and shall have and exercise the power and perform all the duties of the Mayor.