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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-14 25-119 Ordinance25-119 04/14/2025 CITY COUNCIL ACTION Council Meeting Date: April 14, 2025 Item No: 25-119 Responsible Dept: Legal Action Requested: Ordinance Map/Lot: n/a Title, Ordinance Amending the Code of Ordinances to Clarify that Roberts Rules of Order Apply Only to the Council and Boards, Committees and Commissions with Decision -Making Authority. Summary This ordinance amendment would update the City's Code of Ordinances to clarify that Roberts Rules of Order apply only to the City Council and other boards, committees, and commissions with decision -making authority. Historically, advisory bodies have proceeded informally, as they only make recommendations to Council, thereby encouraging citizens to volunteer for these advisory boards. This amendment will also codify the long- standing practice of allowing the advisory bodies to proceed with publicly -noticed meetings where fewer than a quorum are present, provided they do not take any votes or any other formal action. Committee Action Committee: Government Operations Action: Recommended for passage Staff Comments & Approvals City Manager Introduced for: First Reading City Solicitor Meeting Date: April 7, 2025 For: 2 Against: 1 Finance Director 25-119 04/14/2025 CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE Date: April 14, 2025 Assigned to Councilor: Beck ORDINANCE, Amending the Code of Ordinances to Clarify that Roberts Rules of Order Apply Only to the Council and Boards, Committees and Commissions With Decision -Making Authority. WHEREAS, at present, the Code of Ordinances is unclear as to whether boards without decision -making authority must adhere to the formal requirements of Roberts Rules of Order; WHEREAS, there is a long-standing City practice of allowing advisory bodies to proceed with publicly -noticed meetings where fewer than a quorum are present, as long as the advisory board, committee or commission does not take any votes or any recommendation and does not take any other formal action; BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR AS FOLLOWS, THAT The Code of the City of Bangor is amended as shown below: § 9-16 Roberts Rules of Order. With respect to the City Council. Council committees, and commissions that have decision -making authority, in all cases where the parliamentary proceedings are not herein} determined by City charter, ordinance, or the bylaws of the board, committee, or commission, Roberts Rules of Order shall be taken as authority to decide the course of proceedings. The citizen -appointed advisory boards, committees, and commissions which make recommendations only and are without decision -making authority, including but not limited to the Parks, Recreation and Harbor Advisory Board, the Peniaiawoc Marsh/Bangor Mall Management Commission, the Advisory Committee on Racial Equity. Inclusion, and Human Rights, the Commission on Cultural Development, the Tree Board, the Firearms Discharge Committee, and the Downtown Parking Advisory Committee, are intended to operate in a less formal manner and are not required to comply with Roberts Rules of Order. These citizen -appointed advisory boards, committees, and commissions may proceed with Publicly -noticed meetings where fewer members than a quorum are present, as long as the board, committee, or commission does not take any votes on any recommendation and does not take any other formal action. Additions underlined, deletions strtrel( thFeug IN CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 2025 COrd 25-ll9 Justin Cartier, Hilari Simmons and Suzette Furrow spoke in opposition to this ordinance. First Reading �����:,w�,��° '" .�� ��°,„�,��"���,°��*°.������ �� CITY CLERK IN CITY COUNCIL APRIL 28, 2025 COrd 25-ll9 Hilari Simmons, Justin Cartier and Suzette Furrow spoke in opposition to the Ordinance. Michael Norton spoke in favor of the Ordinance. Motion made and seconded for Passage Vote: 6—3 Councilors Voting Yes: Beck, Deane, Fournier, Leonard, Tremble, Pelletier Councilors Voting No: Fish, Hawes,Mallar Passed ���.�` � M,�� �������w������ � �s� CITY CLERK