Missed deadline

[Guest Jim Brady]

I am an alderman and would like to initiate a new legislative matter at the next committee meeting that I am a member of. The code of ordiances of my city regarding initiating new legislative matters is as follows:

PART III CODE OF ORDINANCES

Chapter 2, ADMINISTRATION

ARTICLE II. COMMON COUNCIL

DIVISION 2. RULES OF PROCEDURE

Sec. 2-46. Referral to committees; proposed legislation (PL).

(a) Referral of matters. All petitions, communications, budget adjustments, reports, resolutions, motions, local laws, etc., requiring action of the common council shall be referred by the presiding officer, without motion:

(1) To the appropriate committee; or

(2) To the mayor for administrative action unless otherwise ordered by the common council by a majority vote.

( Initiation of new legislative matters. All legislation shall be initiated by the submission to the common council president the proposed legislation. The proposed legislation shall be prepared, signed and submitted by a common council member or the mayor and shall contain a general summary of the proposed legislation. The PL shall be numbered and referred to committee at the next regular meeting or work session of the common council.

© Referral of proposed legislation. All PL's must be turned in to the journal clerk prior to 12:00 noon Thursday prior to any regular session or work session of the common council in order to be referred at the Tuesday meeting.

The above states that all proposed legislation must be turned in to the journal clerk prior to 12:00 noon Thursday prior to any regular session or work session of the common council in order to be referred at the Tuesday meeting. I missed the deadline and would like to know how I can initiate a new legislative matter at the upcoming Tuesday meeting. Please let me know the procedures I should follow to get the new legislative matter on the agenda. Thank you for your help.

Also for your information, this was a memo that I received regarding submissions from the council clerk.

Any alderman or the mayor can submit a PL. Generally, department heads would submit a PL through the mayor. I prefer to receive the PL’s already signed by the sponsor. Submission deadline for all requested agenda items is 12:00 p.m. the Thursday before the Tuesday meeting (§2-46© Code of Ordinances). I hold strict to this deadline and will not accept late submissions. I also do not accept partial or incomplete submissions.

The Council President then refers the PL’s to the appropriate committee for discussion. He is the only one with this authority; yet, he is open to suggestions. The chairman of each committee is responsible for his own agenda. Only the chairman can place items on his agenda (the Council President is the chairman of the Committee of the Whole). PL’s are voted on or tabled for further discussion/information. If they are voted on with approval, they move onto the Committee of the Whole. Depending on the sensitivity, the resolution shall be on the Regular Meeting agenda the next scheduled meeting (2 weeks).

[Kim Goldsworthy]

I am an alderman and would like to initiate a new legislative matter at the next committee meeting that I am a member of.

...

I missed the deadline and would like to know how I can initiate a new legislative matter at the upcoming Tuesday meeting.

We answer questions about Robert's Rules of Order.

Your question is about somebody else's rules of order.

Obey your rules. If your rules have no work-around, then there is none.

[Guest Jim Brady]

We answer questions about Robert's Rules of Order.

Your question is about somebody else's rules of order.

Obey your rules. If your rules have no work-around, then there is none.

Thank you for your response. My city does follow Robert's Rules of Order as the code or ordinances states the following: Sec. 2-36. Roberts Rules of Order. On all points of order not governed by these rules, the general rules of parliamentary practice as outlined in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall be referred to for guidance. The city attorney shall be the parliamentarian for the city.

On Tuesday night, the Common Council is having a finance committee meeting. My next questions are as follows: Under Robert's Rules, are the Council Members to approve the agenda that was published on the city website last Friday at this meeting? In addition, can new items be added to the agenda at the Finance Committee Meeting that are relevent to this meeting? What are the procedures under Robert's Rules for adding new items to the agenda? Thanks again for your help.

[Josh Martin]

My city does follow Robert's Rules of Order as the code or ordinances states the following: Sec. 2-36. Roberts Rules of Order. On all points of order not governed by these rules, the general rules of parliamentary practice as outlined in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall be referred to for guidance. The city attorney shall be the parliamentarian for the city.

Well, that's all well and good, but since you do seem to have rules on this matter I'm not sure RONR will help you.

Under Robert's Rules, are the Council Members to approve the agenda that was published on the city website last Friday at this meeting?

RONR does not require an agenda, but if an agenda is to be used it must be approved by majority vote.

In addition, can new items be added to the agenda at the Finance Committee Meeting that are relevent to this meeting?

Yes.

What are the procedures under Robert's Rules for adding new items to the agenda?

When the agenda is pending for approval, it may be amended by majority vote. After it is approved, it may be amended by a 2/3 vote or a vote of a majority of the entire membership. Either way, just make a motion to add the item to the agenda. See FAQ #14.

Public bodies frequently are bound by rules and/or laws that supersede everything I just said, so I would consult your city attorney before proceeding.