III. QUORUM AND ACTIONS

III.A. Quorum: A majority of all the Members of Council, including the President of the Council and Vice President of the Council, shall constitute a quorum.

III.B. Temporary Absence: No action shall be taken by Council unless there shall be present at least a quorum, provided, however, that the temporary absence from the meeting room of Members sufficient to constitute a quorum shall not be deemed to prevent the hearing of presentations or the discussion of matters submitted to the Council. The City Clerk or the President of the Council shall suggest the absence of a quorum prior to the taking of any action by Council, if appropriate. Failure of the City Clerk, the President of the Council, or any Member to suggest the absence of a quorum shall not be deemed to alter the effect of this rule requiring a quorum as a prerequisite to any action.

III.C. Actions of Council:

III.C.1    Ordinances -where required by law, action shall be by the adoption of ordinances; ordinances shall be proposed for adoption, notice given, and adoption accomplished in the manner required by law.

III.C.2    Resolutions – where it is not required by law or desired by Council to act by ordinance, action may be by resolution. Resolutions shall be proposed in writing, and a copy shall be delivered to the City Clerk and all Members of Council prior to proposing of adoption.

III.C.3    Introduction Deadlines – A Council Member who desires to patron an ordinance or resolution for introduction shall submit an O & R request, on a form pursuant to a procedure established by the Council Chief of Staff, to the Office of the City Attorney no later than 5:00 P.M. on the second Friday preceding the formal Council meeting, and the Office of the City Clerk shall submit requests for appointment resolutions to the Office of the City Attorney by the same deadline. The Mayor shall submit all requests for ordinances, resolutions or amendments thereto to the Office of the City Attorney within deadlines established by agreement between the City Attomey and the Mayor.

III.C.4    Fiscal Impact Statement Required – A fiscal impact statement shall be required for every ordinance or resolution, except appointment resolutions, of which a Council Member is the chief patron.  The fiscal impact statement shall be an assessment of the costs involved with the adoption of the ordinance or resolution and shall include, but need not be limited to, (i) the projected number of departments, boards, commissions and other agencies to which the ordinance or resolution would apply, (ii) the identity of departments, boards, commissions and other agencies that the ordinance or resolution would particularly affect, (iii) the projected number of persons and employment positions to be affected by the ordinance or resolution, (iv) the estimated fiscal impact on the City government, and (v) sources of potential funds to implement and comply with the ordinance or resolution. The Council Chief of Staff shall prepare the fiscal impact statement prior to the introduction of the ordinance or resolution and shall establish a process for Council Members to obtain such fiscal impact statements.  After the introduction of such ordinance or resolution but no later than the meeting of the standing committee at which the ordinance or resolution will be heard, the City Administration shall have the opportunity to offer such additional or conflicting fiscal impact information as it may choose to offer.

III.C.5    Motion – where action of Council is desired on matters that can be simply stated, and for which neither an ordinance nor a resolution is required by law, action may be upon oral motion.

III.C.6    Unanimous Consent -where no formal action is required, and no objection is heard, a request of a Member shall be deemed a request of Council without further action, when such request is made at a meeting with a quorum present, and the President of the Council states that such a request shall be deemed a request of Council.

III.C.7    Majority Vote and Abstentions – Unless otherwise required by law, a majority vote of the Council shall mean more than half of those Council members present and voting.  An abstention shall not be counted as a vote.