03-23-20 Regular Meeting of the La Porte City Council

Browse Search

demand of a single Councilperson, a roll call vote shall be taken. After the result of a vote is announced, a member may not change a vote unless, before the adjournment of that meeting, permission is given to change the vote by a majority vote of the members present. Section 6 - CHAIR AND DUTIES 6.01. The Presiding Officer - Duties. The presiding officer of the Council shall be the Mayor. The Presiding Officer shall preserve strict order and decorum at all regular and special meetings of the Council. He/She shall state every question coming before the Council, announce the decision of the Council on all subjects and decide all questions of order, subject, however, to an appeal to the Council, in which event a majority vote of the Council shall govern and conclusively determine such question of order. He/She shall be entitled to vote on all questions. He/She shall sign all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Council during his/her presence. In the event of the absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tem shall sign ordinances or resolutions as then adopted. 6.02. Call to Order - Presiding Officer. The Mayor, or in his/her absence, the Mayor Pro Tem, shall take the chair precisely at the hour appointed for the meeting, and shall immediately call the Council to order. In the absence of the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tem, the City Secretary, or his/her Assistant, shall call the Council to order, whereupon a temporary chairman shall be elected by members of the Council present. Upon arrival of the Mayor or the Mayor Pro Tem, the temporary chairman shall immediately relinquish the chair upon the conclusion of the business immediately before the Council. 6.03. Roll Call. Before proceeding with the business of the Council, the City Secretary, or his/her deputy shall note in the minutes the names of those present. Late arrivals or departures of Council members shall be noted by the Presiding Officer, and recorded by the City Secretary in the minutes. 6.04. Quorum. A majority of all of the members of City Council shall constitute a quorum at any regular or special meeting of the Council, except where provided otherwise under state law. In the absence of a quorum, the Presiding Officer shall, at the request of any three (3) members present, compel the attendance of absent members. 6.05. Order of Business. All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public, in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act. Promptly at the hour set on the day of each regular meeting as posted as required by law, the members of the Council, the City Secretary, the City Attorney, the Mayor, and the City Manager, shall take their regular stations in the Council Chambers, and the business of the Council shall generally be taken up for consideration and disposition in the following order: 1. Call to Order 2. Invocation and Pledges of Allegiance 3. Proclamations and Presentations 4. Citizen Comment 5. Consent Agenda (Any member of the Council may remove any item from the Consent Agenda for discussion.) These items are typically routine in nature. 6. Statutory Agenda 7. Reports of City Officers and Staff 8. Administrative Reports 9. Items of Community Interest (in accordance with state law) 4