COM 0808.001 2008-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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smooth and orderly debate. The following are practices and customs should be observed during council and committee meetings, and be enforced by the chair: • Remarks should be confined to the merits of the pending question. Remarks should be germane to the discussion and have a bearing on whether the pending motion should be adopted. • Refrain from attacking a member's motives. The measure, not the member, is the subject of the debate. Also, avoid using words such as "fraud," "liar," or `lie" in relation to a member. • Refrain from speaking adversely on a prior action not pending. Unless a motion to reconsider, rescind, or amend of the prior action is pending, or the member is giving notice of one of these motions, it is improper to reflect adversely on any prior act of the Council. • Refrain from speaking against one's own motion. The maker of a motion may vote against her own motion, but is not allowed to speak against her own motion. The only method of indicating an adverse position to one's own motion is to withdraw the motion or to vote against it. • Avoid reading from reports, quotations, etc. Prior to reading from any report or quotations, or other similar writings, permission must be sought from the entire membership. If any member objects, then a member has no right to read from, or have others read from, any writings as part of his speech. Usually only short, pertinent, printed abstracts can be read from, but members should not abuse this privilege. • Members should refrain from disturbing the assembly. This basically applies to moving around the room and whispering /talking while another member has the floor. Members should refrain from doing both. • Members should be mindful of the limits of debate. According to Council Rule No. 19 -8 and 19 -9, council members may not speak longer than five minutes and not more than twice on the same question without permission from the chair. The exception is in committees, where a councilmember may speak more than twice on a matter so long as every other member who wishes to speak has done so. Also, according to Robert's Rules, if a member asks a question of another member or of another, the time spent by the responder is charged to the person who has the floor.' 9 RONR (10 Ed.), p. 380, 1. 19 -22. 3