Friday, May 19, 2000
Friday, May 19, 2000 |
After discussion at the annual city retreat and subsequent City Council meetings, several revisions to Peachtree City's ordinance governing meeting procedures and rules were approved by the council at its May 4 meeting. Among the changes: ” Any person requesting to place an item on the agenda for a council meeting can do so only if the council has not taken action on the issue within the past 180 days. The city clerk will not place an issue on a meeting agenda for reconsideration within 180 days of such action unless a request has been made by a member of council who voted on the prevailing side the previous time or was absent at the time of that vote. The 180-day requirement was not in the previous edition of the ordinance. ” The presiding officer at the meeting has the right to speak last on any item. ” At any point during a debate, unless a council member is speaking, the mayor or presiding officer of the meeting may close the debate and either make a motion concerning the subject of the debate or request that such a motion be made. If that motion is seconded, the presiding officer shall call for a vote unless a council member makes a superceding motion to reopen the debate. If that motion is seconded, a vote will be called for on that motion. If a majority votes to continue the debate, it will be continued. ” A council member also may move to limit the additional time for debate or to close the debate. If that motion is seconded, it will be voted on and the debate limited or closed if a majority votes to do so. Some key changes have been made to the ordinance relating to public participation. They include: ” Any person publicly disparaged during a meeting by a city employee, appointed official or contractor shall, upon request, be granted one opportunity to address the council for up to three minutes and respond to the remarks that were made. ” The City Council may, in its discretion, allow an audience member to raise a matter not on the agenda and address the council at the end of the regular agenda. If action is required on that item, it will be placed on a future agenda, which may or may not be the next meeting. ” Several times in the ordinance, the word “citizen” was changed to “person” or some other word to signify a member of the general public. This was done so there would be no confusion about whether only residents of Peachtree City were being referenced in the ordinance, as some noted that the word “citizen” could cause one to assume that it meant a citizen of Peachtree City.
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