Chapter 2.05
COMMON COUNCIL
Sections:
2.05.010 Councilmanic districts.
2.05.050 Meetings – Order of business.
2.05.010 Councilmanic districts.
(A) The area within the corporate boundaries of the city is divided into four councilmanic districts.
(1) Council District A. Council district A shall consist of all that portion of the city within the following area: composed of the area outlined in green on the council districts map.
(2) Council District B. Council district B shall consist of all that portion of the city within the following area: composed of the area outlined in gold on the council districts map.
(3) Council District C. Council district C shall consist of all that portion of the city within the following area: composed of the area outlined in blue on the council districts map.
(4) Council District D. Council district D shall consist of all that portion of the city within the following area: composed of the area outlined in red on the council districts map.
(B) After adoption of this section the councilmanic districts shall be as indicated on the map marked as Exhibit A to Ordinance No. 1715-2022. The former or previous councilmanic districts are shown on the council district map marked as Exhibit B. Exhibit A shall be incorporated by reference into the Angola Municipal Code.
(C) A revision to the districts map shall be made in the year 2032 and every 10 years thereafter and whenever required to assign annexed territory to a district. Annexed territory shall be automatically assigned within the annexation ordinance to a council district in accordance with Indiana law. [Ord. 1715-2022 § 1.]
Statutory reference: For statutory provisions authorizing third class cities having a population of less than 10,000 to be divided into four councilmanic districts, see IC 36-4-6-5.
2.05.020 Composition.
The Common Council shall be composed of four members elected from the districts established by AMC 2.05.010 and one at-large member. [Ord. 609, 1982. Code 2000 § 30.02; Code 1981 § 2.04.003.]
2.05.030 Election.
Each voter of the city may vote for one candidate from the district in which such voter resides and one candidate for at-large membership. The at-large candidate receiving the most votes from the whole city and the district candidates receiving the most votes from their respective districts are elected to the Common Council. [Ord. 609, 1982. Code 2000 § 30.03; Code 1981 § 2.04.006.]
2.05.040 Meetings – Times.
Regular meetings of the Common Council of the city shall be held on the first and third Mondays of each month. If the Monday is a holiday, then the meeting shall be held the next business day that is not a holiday. [Ord. 1645-2020 § 1; Ord. 349, 1964; Ord. 321, 1960; Ord. 306, 1960. Code 2000 § 30.04; Code 1981 § 2.04.010.]
2.05.050 Meetings – Order of business.
The order of business to be followed at regular meetings of the Council shall be as follows:
(A) Call to order.
(B) Roll call by Clerk-Treasurer.
(C) Remarks by the Mayor.
(D) Approval of minutes.
(E) Unfinished Business.
(1) Ordinances on third reading;
(2) Ordinances on second reading; and
(3) Other unfinished business.
(F) New Business.
(1) Introduction of ordinances, first reading;
(2) Resolutions;
(3) Reports;
(4) Approval of accounts payable vouchers; and
(5) Other new business.
(G) Adjournment. [Code 2000 § 30.04; Code 1981 § 2.04.020.]
2.05.060 Meetings – Rules.
The following rules shall govern the meetings of the Common Council:
(A) Rule 1. The Mayor or Presiding Officer shall decide all questions of order. The Mayor or Presiding Officer shall decide whether any matter submitted to the Common Council for consideration is decided in the affirmative or negative by a roll call or voice vote. The Mayor or Presiding Officer shall also determine who speaks first and shall preserve order during the deliberations of the Common Council.
(B) Rule 2. Any Councilmember may appeal to the Common Council from any decision of the Mayor or Presiding Officer, which appeal shall be by motion duly made and seconded. On all appeals the Mayor or Presiding Officer may order a roll call or voice vote.
(C) Rule 3. All questions relating to the priority of business shall be directed to the Mayor or Presiding Officer and shall be decided by the Mayor or Presiding Officer without debate. The regular order of business shall not be waived without unanimous consent of the Common Council.
(D) Rule 4. The Chief of Police or designee shall attend all meetings of the Common Council, see that the Common Council room is properly cleared, warmed and lighted, and attend to such other duties as the Mayor or Presiding Officer, or Common Council requires.
(E) Rule 5. The Clerk-Treasurer shall record in the minutes attendance of the Councilmembers at meetings of the Common Council.
(F) Rule 6. When any Councilmember is about to speak or deliver any matter to the Common Council, the Councilmember shall respectfully address the Mayor or Presiding officer, and, when duly recognized by the Mayor or Presiding Officer, shall confine comments to the matter under debate, use objective descriptions and avoid judgmental statements about others. The Mayor or Presiding Officer shall not recognize any Councilmember as in order unless the Councilmember shall be properly seated in place.
(G) Rule 7. No Councilmember shall impeach the motive of any other Councilmember’s argument or vote.
(H) Rule 8. If any Councilmember in any matter transgresses the rules of the Common Council, the Mayor or Presiding Officer, or any Councilmember may call the Councilmember to order. In which case, the alleged offender shall be permitted to explain. If the question of order were decided against the Councilmember, said Councilmember shall be liable, if the case requires it, to the censure of the Common Council. If the decision were in favor of the Councilmember, said Councilmember shall be at liberty to proceed.
(I) Rule 9. When the Mayor or Presiding Officer is addressing the Common Council, or when any Councilmember is speaking, no Councilmember shall engage in any private conversation, nor walk across or leave the room unnecessarily.
(J) Rule 10. When any motion is made and seconded, the Mayor or Presiding Officer shall state the motion, or being in writing, the motion shall be handed to the Clerk-Treasurer and read aloud before debate.
(K) Rule 11. Any motion shall be reduced to writing if the Mayor or Presiding Officer, or Clerk-Treasurer require it, and after being stated or read shall be considered in the possession of the Common Council, but may be withdrawn at any time before decision or amendment.
(L) Rule 12. For the record, any person having business to bring before the Common Council shall first state his or her name and business to the Mayor or Presiding Officer. Such person, by the unanimous consent of the Common Council, is permitted to address the Common Council upon such business, subject to the rules governing the meetings of the Common Council.
(M) Rule 13. When any motion is under discussion, no other motion shall be received except to postpone temporarily (or table), close discussion, limit discussion, postpone indefinitely, refer to committee or amend.
(N) Rule 14. The Mayor or Presiding Officer shall put all matters first upon the appending amendments in their order, if there be any, and then upon the main matter.
(O) Rule 15. A majority of the Councilmembers shall constitute a quorum, but a minority may adjourn from time to time until a quorum is convened.
(P) Rule 16. A motion to adjourn, postpone temporarily (or table), close discussion, resume consideration or suspend the rules is not debatable.
(Q) Rule 17. Ordinances, resolutions and reports may be committed and recommitted at the pleasure of the Common Council.
(R) Rule 18. When any matter has been once decided in the affirmative or negative, any Councilmember voting with the majority may move to reconsider the issue or question at the same or at the next subsequent meeting of the Common Council, provided all Councilmembers are present.
(S) Rule 19. When the reading of any document is called for, if objection is made, the Common Council shall decide it and no document shall be read, if objected to, without the consent of the Common Council.
(T) Rule 20. No business shall be transacted out of regular order without unanimous consent of the Common Council.
(U) Rule 21. When any matter is postponed indefinitely, it shall not be again voted upon during that or the next succeeding Common Council meeting.
(V) Rule 22. All ordinances shall be read by title and passed by the Common Council three times before they shall be deemed adopted. No ordinance shall be read and passed three times on the same day it is introduced, except by unanimous consent of the Common Council, two-thirds or four of the Councilmembers being present and voting.
(W) Rule 23. Each ordinance introduced shall be numbered as introduced and, when in the order of business, ordinances on their third reading are reached, said ordinances shall be in order of number unless the Common Council by vote upon motion determines to take up any one particular ordinance, but when any ordinance is finally adopted, said ordinance shall be numbered next in order to the one last adopted.
(X) Rule 24. It shall be the duty of the Mayor or Presiding Officer to prohibit smoking or loud talking in the Council room during the sessions of the Common Council.
(Y) Rule 25. The Chief of Police or designee shall be the sergeant-at-arms of the Common Council and under the direction of the Mayor or Presiding Officer. Any person in attendance upon a meeting of the Common Council refusing to obey the orders of the Mayor or Presiding Officer, or in any way violating the rules that govern the meetings of the Common Council, or refusing to keep good order or proper decorum, shall be removed from the Council room by the Chief of Police or designee. [Ord. 684, 1985. Code 2000 § 30.04; Code 1981 § 2.04.030.]
2.05.070 Standing committees.
(A) The standing committees of the Council shall be appointed by the Mayor annually at the first regular meeting in January of each year. Each committee shall consist of two members, the first named of whom shall be chair of their respective committees. The following committees shall be appointed:
(1) Services and Budget;
(2) Public Safety;
(3) City Utilities; and
(4) Streets, Alleys and Lighting.
(B) The committees shall perform the duties required by the Council and report their actions in the premises at any meeting of the Council, whenever called upon to do so. [Ord. 1558-2017 § 1. Code 2000 § 30.05; Code 1981 § 2.04.040.]