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MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor, City Council, and City Manager
From: Mark Sokolow, City Attorney ~'!z~/1 ~J~~~"`~
Date: May 12, 2009
Subject: P. O. No. 6008; Council Meeting May 19, 2009
Attached is P. O. No. 6008 amending Subsection (9) of
Section 2-75 (b) of the Code of Ordinances as it pertains
to limiting debate to two minutes per councilmember on non-
consent issues brought to the floor for debate by the City
Council. The Ordinance still provides that the City
Council can consider and vote on a motion to further limit
or extend the length of debate. (Requested by
Councilmembers Albright, Henderson, and Williamson).
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Attachment
1
P. O. No. 6008
05/11/09 is
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SUBSECTION (9) OF
SECTION 2-75 (b) OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES AS
IT PERTAINS TO LIMITING DEBATE ON NON-CONSENT
ISSUES BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR FOR DEBATE BY THE
CITY COUNCIL (REQUESTED BY COUNCILMEMBERS
ALBRIGHT, HENDERSON, AND WZLLIAMSON)
WHEREAS, per Ordinance No. 08-15, the City Council amended
Subsection (9) of Section 2-75 of the Code of Ordinances as it
pertains to limiting debate on non-consent issues brought to the
floor for debate by the City Council; and
WHEREAS, Subsection (9) of Section 2-75 (b) of the Code of
Ordinances presently states the following:
"(9) Opportunity to speak. No vote shall be taken on a
motion and second calling for the previous question
until each councilmember wishing to speak on the
question under debate has been granted at least one
opportunity to speak on the question. Each
councilmember is to have up to five minutes to
express a pro or con opinion or question the
initiator of any non-consent resolution or
ordinance that comes before the Council for debate.
Time will be kept by the presiding officer, by an
approved device. The resolution or ordinance shall
be voted up or down, without further discussion.
This subsection shall not interfere with the
council's right to consider and vote on a motion
and second to further limit or extend the length of
debate by each councilmember."
and
WHEREAS, the City Council now desires to amend Subsection (9)
of Section 2-75 (b) to read as follows:
"(9) Opportunity to speak. No vote shall be taken on a
motion and second calling for the previous question
until each councilmember wishing to speak on the
auestion under debate has been granted at least one
opportunity to speak on the question. Each
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councilmember is to have up to two minutes to
express a pro or con opinion or question the
initiator of any non-consent resolution or
ordinance that comes before the Council for debate.
Time will be kept by the presiding officer, by an
approved device. The resolution or ordinance shall
be voted up or down, without further discussion.
This subsection shall not interfere with the
council's right to consider and vote on a motion
and second to further limit or extend the length of
debate by each councilmember."
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF PORT ARTHUR:
Section 1. That the facts and opinions in the preamble
are true and correct.
Section 2. That Subsection (9) of Section 2-75 (b)
of the Code of Ordinances is hereby amended and shall read as
follows:
"(9) Opportunity to speak. No vote shall be taken on a
motion and second calling for the previous question
until each councilmember wishing to speak on the
question under debate has been granted at least one
opportunity to speak on the question. Each
councilmember is to have up to two minutes to
express a pro or con opinion or question the
initiator of any non-consent resolution or
ordinance that comes before the Council for debate.
Time will be kept by the presiding officer, by an
approved device. The resolution or ordinance shall
be voted up or down, without further discussion.
This subsection shall not interfere with the
council's right to consider and vote on a motion
and second to further limit or extend the length of
debate by each councilmember."
Section 3. That this being an Ordinance amending an
Ordinance, which does not carry a penalty and does not require
publication, it shall take effect immediately from and after its
passage.
Section 4. That a copy of the caption of this Ordinance
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be spread upon the Minutes of the City Council.
READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED on this day of
A.D., 2009, at a Council Meeting of the City Council of the City
of Port Arthur, Texas, by the following vote:
AYES: Mayor
City Council
NOES:
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY
APPROVED FOR ADMINISTRATION:
CITY MANAGER
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