Res 89-008
RESOLUTION NO. 89-8
RULES OF PROCEDURE
OF
FEDERAL WAY CITY COUNCIL
Resolution No. 89-1, adopted 10/3/89
Resolution No. 89-8, adopted 11/7/89
Section 1. The order of procedure herein contained
shall govern all meetings of the council of the city of Federal
Way, Washington, and committees thereof until the date of
incorporation.
Section 2. MEETINGS. The regular meeting of the
City Council shall be held at 7:00 p.m. on the first and third
Tuesdays of each month, in the board room of the ;-EducatïoTfð;:1.')
Services Center, Federal Way, Washington, except: . -----
a.
If any Tuesday on which a meeting is scheduled be a
legal holiday, the regular meeting of that week shall
be held at 7:00 p.m. on the first business day
following, in place of Tuesday.
If any Tuesday on which a meeting is scheduled shall
fall on the day preceding Christmas or New Year's Day,
the regular meeting of that week shall be held at 7:00
p.m. on the first business day following Christmas Day
or New Year's Day, whichever the case may be.
b.
When a regular meeting of the City Council falls on the
same day as either a primary or general election, the
City Council meeting shall continue to be held on the
usual day and time unless postponed by a majority vote
of the Council.
WORK SESSIONS. The city Council shall meet in t. ¡
open and public Work Sessions on the first and third Tuesday of-
each month at 7: 30 a.m. and on the second, fourth and fifth
Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Said Work Sessions shall be
held at the Federal Way City Hall.
c.
,-
The Council, by a majority vote, may by motion recess
from a meeting to a certain time set forth in the motion made
therefor.
Special meetings or any qhange in the time or location
of a regular meeting shall be called by the City Clerk on the
written request of the Mayor or by a,majority of the members of
the Council by delivering personally or by mail written notice to
each member of the Council; and to each local newspaper of gen-
eral circulation and to each local radio or television station
which has on file with the City Clerk a written request to be
notified of such special meeting or of all special meetings.
Such notice must be delivered personally or by mail at least
twenty-four hours before the time of such meeting as specified in
the notice. The call and notice shall specify the time and place
l!ðDt'
of the special meeting and the business to be transacted. Final
disposition shall not be taken on any other matter at such
meetings by the Council. Such written notice may be dispensed
with as to any member who at or prior to the time the meeting
convenes files with the City Clerk a written waiver of notice..
Such waiver may be given by telegram or facsimile machine. Such
written notice may also be dispensed with as to any member who is
actually present at the meeting at the time it convenes. The
notices provided in this section may be dispensed with in the
event a special meeting is called to deal with an emergency
involving injury or damage to persons or property or the likeli-
hood of such injury or damage, when time requirements of such
notice would make notice impractical and increase the likelihood
of such injury or damage. (Ref. RCW 42.30.080)
Four Council Members shall be a quorum for the transac-
tion of business, but in the absence of a quorum, the members
present may adjourn the meeting to a later date.
section 3. PRESIDING OFFICER - DUTIES. The presid-
ing officer at all meetings of the Council shall be the Mayor,
and, in the Mayor's absence, the Deputy Mayor, who shall conduct
the business and deliberations of the Council under these rules.
If both the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor are absent and a quorum
is present, the Council shall elect one of its members to serve
as presiding officer of the Council until the return of the
Mayor or Deputy Mayor.
The presiding officer shall:
a.
Preserve order and decorum in the Council Chamber;
b.
Observe and enforce all rules
Council for its government;
adopted
by
the
c.
Decide all questions on order, in accordance with
these rules, subj ect to appeal by any member to
the Council; and .
Recognize members of the Council in the order in
which they request the floor. No member shall be
recognized and given the floor to speak on the
same matter more than once until after all other
members of the Council have had an opportunity to
be recognized and be heard.
1'"
The presiding o,fficer, ~~. a member of the c~uncil,
shall have only those rJ.ghts, and shall be governed J.n all
matters and issues by the same rules and restrictions, as other
Council Members.
d.
Any member of the Council, including the presiding
officer, shall have the right to question any individual, includ-
ing members of the staff, on matters germane to the issue
properly before the Council for discussion. Under no circum-
stances shall such questioning be conducted in a manner and to
the extent that such would constitute a cross-examination of or
an attempt to ridicule or degrade the individual being inter-
rogated.
When matters on the Agenda are placed under more than
one classification, as defined by "Order of Business", and
invol ve or are closely related to the same problem or subj ect
matter, then and in that event the presiding officer may, within
the presiding officer's discretion, without the necessity of any
vote thereon, consider and vote on all of such matters, not-
withstanding their different places on the Agenda. .
Section 4. MEMBERS. Members claiming the floor
shall address all remarks to the presiding officer, except when a
member moves to adopt a resolution and when a member seconds said
motion.
No member shall leave his/her place while a question
is being put or a count is being taken.
section 5. DEBATES. No member of the Council,
which shall include the presiding officer, shall speak more than
twice on the same motion except by consent of the majority of the
Council Members present at the time the motion is before the
Council. After the motion is put and before the next item is
read, a member shall be able to speak briefly to the previous
motion.
No member of the Council, including the presiding
officer, shall interrupt or argue with any other member while
such member has the floor.
All speakers, including members of the Council, which
includes the presiding officer, in the discussion, comments or
debate of any matter or issue shall address their remarks to the
presiding officer, be courteous in their language and deportment,
and shall not engage in or discuss or comment on personalities,
or indulge in derogatory remarks or insinuations in respect to
any other member of the Council, or any member of the staff or
the public, but shall at all times confine their remarks to those
facts which are germane and relevant to the question or matter
under discussion.
>
If a member of the Council'.shall transgress these rules
on debates, the presiding officer ~hall call such member to
order, in which case such member shall be silent except to
i
• �
explain or continue in order. If the presiding officer shall
transgress these rules on debate or fail to call such member to
order, any other member of the Council may, under a point of
order, call the presiding officer or such other member to order,
in which case the presiding officer or such member, as the case
may be, shall be silent except to explain or continue in order.
Any member of the Council, including the presiding
officer, shall have the right to challenge any action or ruling
of the presiding officer, or member, as the case may be, in which
case the decision of the majority of the members of the Council
present, including the presiding officer, shall govern.
The City Manager shall have the right to enter into a
discussion of any matter coming before the City Council. No
person shall address the Council wihout the consent of the
presiding officer.
Section 6. ORDER OF BUSINESS.
buainess shall be as follows:
1. Call to order.
The order of
2. Roll call.
3. Flag salute.
Consent Agenda:
4. Approval of the Consent Agenda, consisting
generally of one or more of the following items:
a. Approval of the minutes of the previous
meeting;
b.
o.
d.
e.
f.
Consideration of petitions;
First reading of ordinances accepting gifts
and donations;
Adoption of resolutions fixing dates for
hearings, approving final plats, submitting
grant applications, and other such actions;
Fixing date of hearings on appeals; and
Items filed in the office of the City Clerk.
Regular Agenda:
6. Announcements, presentations and appointments.
7.
Communications.
J
8.
9.
lO.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Final reading of ordinances and vote thereon
(subj ect to other motions provided for in these
rules) .
Introduction and first reading of ordinances.
Introduction, reading and voting upon resolutions
(subject to other motions provided for in these
rules).
Citizens' comments pursuant to proper requests to
be heard.
Public hearings and appeals.
Unfinished business.
Reports by the City Manager.
Comments and committee reports by members of the
City Council.
Adjournment.
section 7. MOTIONS AND THEIR PRECEDENCE. When a
question is under consideration, no motion shall be entertained
except as follows, such motions have precedence in order as
stated:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
To Adjourn.
For a Call of the Council (shall be decided
without debate by a majority vote of those
present) .
To Remove an Item from the Agenda.
For the Previous Question (The "previous question"
shall be as follows: "Shall the main question be
put?", and, until such motion has been put and
decided, all amendments or debate shall be
precluded. The "main question" shall be on the
passage of an ordinance, res.olution, or motion, .
but when amendments are pending, the questions
shall be taken first upon such amendments, in
. \.,
theJ.r order).,
~
To Lay on the Table (shall be decided without
deba te) .
To Take from the Table (shall be decided without
debate). A motion to "take from the table" having
been put and lost, shall not, during the same
Council meeting, be renewed either by the mover or
by any other member of the Council. No matter
shall be taken from the table after a period of
two years from the date that it was laid on the
table.
g.
To Postpone tò a Certain Time \ (shall be decided
wi thout debate only in those instances where the
effect of said motion is to postpone or continue a
matter for less than thirty days from the time it
first appeared on the Council Agenda).
To Postpone Indefinitely.
h.
i.
To Amend.
j.
To Substitute.
k.
To Reconsider.
No motion to reconsider a vote shall be in order except
by a member who voted with the prevailing side. A motion to
reconsider, having been put and lost, shall not be renewed either
by the mover or by any other member of the Council. Any member
of the Council, including the Mayor, shall have the right to
change his/her vote, in order to be on the prevailing side, at
any time before final action is taken on the next ensuing item of
business taken up by the Council.
The motions hereinabove enumerated shall be decided by
a majority vote of Council Members present at the meetings.
The motions hereinabove enumerated are debatable except
where designated otherwise.
section 8. FILING NEW MATTER. No new subject, or
any matter, communication, article, or material shall be placed
before the Council for its comments thereon or consideration,
unless it shall have been filed with the City Clerk and copies
thereof sent out to the members of the Council and the ci ty
Manager with the Agenda on the Friday preceding the day on which
the meeting of the Council shall be held.
section 9. SUSPENSION OF RULES. No rule shall be
suspended except by a majority vote of Council Members present at
the meeting, and a motion to suspend a rule is not debatable.
Vote on the motion may be by voic\e" vote of the Council, or by
roll call if requested by a member o~the Council.
section 10. ORDINANCES - RESOLUTIONS. The name of a
Council Member shall not appear as a sponsor on any ordinance or
resolution considered by the Council except when such ordinance
or resolution has been specifically requested by a Council
Member, in which event such Council Member's name shall appear
thereon.
No ordinance shall be read on final passage until
approved as to form and legality by the City Attorney, or which
shall contain any interlineation or marginal note, or which
shall have attached to the main body thereof any printed or
written slip, or until copies have been furnished the several
members of the Council and the City Clerk.
Reading of ordinances and resolutions at all Council
meetings shall be deemed sufficient by the reading of a brief
synopsis of the title of the ordinance or the purport of the
resolution, and the reading in full of the same shall not be
required unless the full reading of any particular ordinance or
resolution be requested by any member of the Council, in which
event said request shall be complied with if a majority of the
Council Members present concur in the request.
section 11. COMMITTEES - APPOINTMENTS. No Commi t-
tee, nor any individual not a duly appointed employee, officer,
agent or representing of the City, appointed or designated by the
mayor or by any other member or members of the Council, shall
have any official or legal status, rights or privileges what-
soever unless and until such committee and its members or such
individual shall have first been approved by resolution or
ordinance of the city Council, except such committee that may be
mandatorily created by State law, nor shall the Mayor or any
member of the Council appoint, designate or authorize any person
or volunteer whomsoever to assist him or her in his or her duties
unless such appointment, designation, or authorization shall be
first approved by a majority of the Council.
until approved by the Council as above provided, no
such committee or its members, nor any such individual, shall be
entitled or permitted to the use of any of the staff, equipment,
supplies, or facilities of the City in connection with its or
their activities, and any reports or recommendations which such
committee, its members, or such individual may make shall be
advisory only to the member or members of the Council, including
the Mayor, purporting to create such committee or appoint such
individual.
No committee shall act in the absence of a quorum,
which shall consist of a majority of its members. At the
beginning of each year, the city Clerk shall notify all commit-
tees of the open meetings law. . .
\.'
section 12.
MISCELLANEOU\.-
a. The City Clerk, under the direction of the city
Manager, shall prepare the Agenda for each session of the Council
in regular order in accordance with these rules, which order
shall not be departed from for any purpose, except as provided
for in these rules. Such Agenda shall include all resolutions,
ordinances, and matters requested by any Council Member, includ-
ing the Mayor, or by the city Manager. No item shall be deleted
from the Agenda, except as provided for in section 6 of these
rules.
b. No member of the public shall engage in or discuss
or comment on personalities, or indulge in derogatory remarks or
insinuations with respect to any member of the Council, or any
member of the staff, but shall at all times confine their remarks
to those facts which are germane and relevant to the questions or
matter under discussion.
c. No personal complaints, particularly those of a
derogatory nature, against any official or employee of the City
shall be discussed at any city Council meetings, and any citizen
who might desire to present such information or make a complaint
shall be instructed that the same shall first be processed and
handled through proper administrative procedures, and only if
such person feels proper action is not taken shall such citizen
or person be privileged to communicate in writing with the mem-
bers of the Council. The acceptance by the Council of a written
complaint shall not, however, give rise to public discussion
thereon.
d. On all questions of practice or procedure not
provided for by these rules, the practice and procedure set forth
in Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall prevail.
e. Notwithstanding anything herein contained, includ-
ing Robert's Rules of Order, to the contrary, any member of the
Council shall have the right and privilege to challenge any
ruling of any kind made by the presiding officer at any Council
meeting, in which case the approval or disapproval of the ruling
of the chair shall immediately, and without debate or comment, be
put to a vote of the Council, and the decision of the majority of
the members of the Council then present, including the Mayor,
shall prevail.
f. Amendments to these rules shall be made by
resolution of the Council, which must be laid over at least one
week, and may then be made by a majority vote of the membership
of the City council, including the Mayor. AFter such proposed
amendments have been laid over for one week, they may be amended,
added to, or deleted, and adopted at the same or subsequent
session of the Council.
...
Section 13. CITY CLERK 1- DUTIES. The City Clerk or
his/her duly authorized representativ~ shall attend all meetings
of the Federal Way city COuncil and Keep a permanent journal of
its proceedings.
As a part of said permanent proceedings, the Clerk
shall record all votes taken. In those instances where a roll
call vote is taken pursuant to a requirement or request, the
Clerk shall call the name of each and every member of the Council
present and shall duly record said member's vote as either an
aye, nay or abstention, whichever may be appropriate. Roll call
votes of the Council shall be called numerically by position,
commencing with the first roll call vote of the Council, and in
subsequent roll call votes member positions shall be rotated,
excluding the presiding officer, until the entire Council has
been called, at which time the procedure will begin again.
In addition to the general duties imposed thereby, the
Clerk shall cause to be recorded electronically all of the
regular and special meetings of the Federal Way City Council and
each and every part thereof, and shall maintain the same for a
period of three years.
At the conclusion of each special or regular meeting of
the City council, the City Clerk shall cause to be prepared in a
brief and concise manner minutes of all of the Council meetings,
and shall submit the same to the City Council for its approval,
which minutes shall contain an accurate resume of the Council's
official action with reference to all matters properly before it.
No individual member of the city Council, nor any
member of the administrative staff of the City, shall be autho-
rized or empowered to require the Clerk to insert in said
official minutes any verbatim transcript of all or any part of
the proceedings. Verbatim transcripts of any part or portion of
the proceedings shall be made a part of the minutes only when
authorized by a majority vote of the entire Council made at the
meeting wherein such request for a verbatim transcript is made.
section 14. SMOKING PROHIBITED. Smoking by any
person whomsoever in the City Council Chambers during any session
of the Council duly convened in a regular or special meeting
shall be and the same is hereby prohibited.
section l5. EXPENDITURE
FUNDS. Prior to the incurring of any
any member of the Council in excess
Dollars ($200.00) in anyone month
purposes:
OF BUDGETED LEGISLATIVE
expenditure by the Mayor or
of the sum of Two Hundred
for any of the following
\,
\
a.
Travel within the united states and Canada;
b.
Expenses of printing or other means of duplicating
printed or written material;
c.
Film, film processing, or photographers' services;
d.
Per diem expenses;
such member of the Council shall present the proposed expenditure
and activity to the Deputy Mayor for his/her review prior to the
incurring of such expenditure.
Any travel by the Mayor or any member of the Council
outside the United states and Canada shall be made only with the
prior approval of the majority of the Council.
No expenditure not authorized in the manner hereinabove
set forth shall ever be paid from monies appropriated and bud-
geted from any account in the legislative budget of the City of
Federal Way, and the Director of Finance and the city Manager are
hereby precluded and prohibited from authorizing and paying any
such expenses from Council funds without evidence of approval.
I'
\