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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 12, 2007 Special MeetingDECOKES "BOBBIE" PRINCE, MAYOR MICHAEL "SHANE" SINEGAL, MAYOR PRO-TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS: JACK CHATMAN, JR. CAL JONES THOMAS J. HENDERSON MARTIN FLOOD JOHN BEARD, JR. ROBERT E. WILLIAMSON AGENDA City Council Special Meeting November 14, 2007 8:30 a.m. STEPHEN FTTZGIBBONS CITY MANAGER EVANGELINE "VAN" GREEN CITY SECRETARY MARK T. SOKOLOW CITY ATTORNEY In compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, the City of Port Arthur will provide for reasonable accommodations for persons attending City Council meetings. To better serve you, requests should be received 24 hours prior to the meeting. Please contact the City Secretary's Office, at (409) 983-8115. P.O. BOX 1089 • PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS 77641-1089 • 409/983-8115 • FAX 409/983-8291 Special City Council Meeting City Hall Council Chamber City of Port Arthur November 14, 2007 8:30 a.m. I. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL Mayor Prince Mayor Pro Tem Sinegal Councilmember Chatman Councilmember Jones Councilmember Henderson Councilmember Flood Councilmember Beard Councilmember Williamson City Manager Fitzgibbons City Secretary Green City Attorney Sokolow II. ITEMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL ACTION -NON-CONSENT P.O. No. 5779 - An Ordinance Canvassing The Returns And Declaring The Results Of A Special Election Held In The City Of Port Arthur On Tuesday, The 6t" Day Of November, 2007; A Special Election For The Purpose Of Filling A Vacancy From Council District 7 And For The Purpose Of Submitting Bond Propositions To The Voters III. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING * Pursuant To Section 67.004 Of The Election Code, Two Members Of The City Council Constitutes A Quorum For The Purpose Of Canvassing The Election. RULES OF DECORUM -PERSONS ADDRESSING COUNCIL & AUDIENCE MEMBERS 1. Recognition by Presiding O>~ce~ No person shall address the Council without first being recognized by the Presiding Officer. 2. Speaking Procedure; Limitation on discussion and questioning. Each person addressing the Council shall step up to the microphone provided for the use of the public and give his name and address in an audible tone of voice for the records, state that subject he wishes to discuss, state whom he is representing if he represents an organization or other person, and unless further time is granted by majority vote of the Council, shall limit his remarks to five (5) minutes. All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a whole and not to any member thereof. No person other than members of the Council and the person having the floor shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, whether directly or through a member of the Council, without the permission of the Presiding Officer. 3. Improper References, Disorderly Conduct By Person Addressing The Council; Any person making, expressly or impliedly, personal, impertinent, slanderous, derogatory, discourteous, snide, or profane remarks or who willfully utters loud, threatening or abusive language, or engages, in any disorderly conduct which would impede, disrupt, or disturb the orderly conduct, the order by the Presiding Officer, and if such conduct continues, may, at the discretion of the Presiding Officer, be ordered barred from further audience before the Council during that Meeting. 4. Addresses After Motion Made or Pub/ic Hearing Closed. After a motion has been made or a public hearing has been closed, no member of the public shall address the Council from the audience on the matter under consideration without first securing permission to do so by majority vote of the City Council. 5. Campaign Speeches Prohibited. No persons will be allowed to address the City Council by making campaign speeches for or against any candidate who has announced or does announce his intention to run, or issue already ordered on a ballot for election. 6. Disorder/y Conduct. No person in the audience shall engage in disorderly conduct such as hand clapping, stamping of feet, whistling, using profane language, yelling, and similar demonstrations, which conduct disturbs the peace and good order of the meeting. 7. Limitations on Use of Supplemental Lighting. Limitations on use of supplemental lighting for television and motion picture cameras to create the least amount of interference with or disturbance of Council proceedings and/or discomfort to the public. 8. Persons Having Comp/ainL,, A/legations, or Charges Against Individual City Employees: No person shall make any complaint, specific allegation, or charge against an individual City Employee by name in a public meeting unless he first shows that he has pursued appropriate administrative channels. ENFORCEMENT OF DECORUM Warning. All persons shall at the request of the Presiding Officer, be silent. Remova/, If, after receiving a warning from the Presiding Officer, a person persists in disturbing the meeting, such Officer may order him to remove himself from the meeting. If he does not remove himself, the Presiding Officer may order the Sergeant-at0arms to remove him. Resisting Remova/. Any person who resists removal by the Sergeant-at-arms shall be charged with violating V.T.C.A, Penal Code 42.05. Motions To Enforce. Any Councilmember may move to require the Presiding Officer to enforce this division, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the Council shall require him to do so. RULES OF PROCEDURE The City Secretary shall make public, in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Law, an agenda containing all business to be discussed at a meeting of the City Council. Persons Requesting To Be Heard On Agenda Items (1) Residents. Any resident who wishes to address the Council on any matter may do so by notifying the City Secretary in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Law. (2) Nonresidents. Any nonresident wishing to address the Council shall notify the City Secretary and specify his interest in the matter being considered. The City Secretary shall present such request to the Presiding Officer for approval before placing the name on the Agenda. Specific Agenda Items: After a motion, second and discussion by the City Council on any specific agenda item, and before a vote is taken, the Presiding Officer shall recognize any citizen in the audience wishing to address the council on such item, who shall be permitted to address the Council thereon for a period of three (3) minutes. "Specific Agenda Items" are defined as any item specified on the Notice of Meeting posted for purposes of the Texas Open Meetings Law and which becomes the subject of a motion before the Council.