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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRules and Organization of the City Council of the City of Evanston_06.22.2026City of Evanston - City Council Rules Rules Governing the Proceedings of the City Council June 8, 2026 City of Evanston City Council Rules Table of Contents I. Definitions 4 II. Duties and Powers 6 A. Duties of Mayor 6 B. Duties of Mayor Pro Tern 7 C. Duties of Acting Mayor; Vacancies 7 D. Duties of Councilmembers 7 E. Duties of City Manager 8 F. Conflicts of Interest and Abstention from Voting 8 G. Requests for Staff Assistance 9 H. Technology Allowance 10 III. Meetings 11 A. Open Meetings 11 B. Time of Meetings 11 C. Call to Order 11 D. Quorum 11 E. Roll Call 11 F. Virtual Councilmember Participation 12 G. Special Meetings 12 H. Emergency Meetings 12 IV. Agenda 13 A. Publication 13 B. Procedure for Bringing Matters Before City Council 13 C. Packet Preparation and Posting 13 D. Agenda Sequence and Order of Business 14 V. Conduct of Meeting 15 A. Decorum 15 B. Mayor Public Announcements and Proclamations 15 C. City Manager Public Announcements 15 D. Communications from the City Clerk 15 E. Public Announcements by Councilmembers 16 F. Public Comment 16 G. Special Orders of Business 18 cityofevanston.org Page 2 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules H. Minutes 18 I. Consent Agenda 18 J. Items for Consideration 19 K. Appointments 19 L. Call of the Wards 19 M. Executive Session 19 N. Media 20 VI. Parliamentary Procedure 21 A. Presiding Officer and Parliamentary Rulings 21 B. Items Council May Consider 21 C. Council Actions 21 D. Motions 22 E. Miscellaneous Procedures 25 F. Robert's Rules 26 G. Debate 26 H. Amendments 27 I. Votes 27 J. Sine Die 29 VII. Committees 30 A. Open Meetings 30 B. Appointments 30 C. Standing Committees 31 D. Subcommittees 34 E. Procedures for Boards, Committees, and Commissions 34 F. Special Committees 36 G. Compensation Committee 36 Vill. Repeal 38 IX. Appendix 40 cityofevanston.org Page 3 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules I. Definitions For purposes of these Rules, the terms listed herein shall be defined as follows: Acting Mayor. A member of the City Council elected by the Council to fill a vacancy in the office of the Mayor until filled by a regular or special election. The Acting Mayor shall possess all the rights and powers of the Mayor. Action. Any vote of the City Council taken collectively by a majority of the Council or the number of votes otherwise required by law or these Rules. Administrative Item. A non -legislative item presented to City Council that is technical, managerial, or ministerial in nature and does not alter a governing policy of the City. Agenda. The compilation of the descriptive titles of items submitted to the City Council for consideration at a City Council meeting, arranged in the sequence established in Section IV(D). Board, Committee, or Commission. A public body that is not a standing committee and may be composed of members of the City Council and/or members of the public. Chair. The presiding officer of a standing committee or other board, committee, or commission. City Council or Corporate Authorities. The nine Councilmembers and the Mayor. These terms may be used interchangeably. Consent Agenda. Routine, recurring, procedural, or noncontroversial items for consideration grouped into a single agenda item and approved in one action. Executive Session. A closed meeting of the City Council pursuant to the Illinois Open Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120/2(c). Ex officio. A member of a board, committee, or commission who serves on that board, committee, or commission by virtue of holding a separate office and without any other appointment than that resulting from the holding of a particular office. Unless otherwise provided by law, an ex officio member shall be a non -voting member but shall retain all other rights and powers of membership. Final Action. A final vote of the City Council on an ordinance or a resolution. Incidental Motion. A motion that considers procedural issues and is used to enforce correct rules of procedure Introduction. A first reading of an ordinance before the City Council that does not constitute final action. cityofevanston.org Page 4 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules Journal. The official record of the City Council, in which are recorded the yeas and nays taken on the passage of designated ordinances, resolutions, motions, and other actions of the Council. Legislative Item. An ordinance or resolution that alters the governing policies of the City and is presented to the Council for introduction or action. Mayor pro tem. A member of the City Council who is elected by the Council to perform the duties of the Mayor if a temporary absence or disability of the Mayor prevents the performance of Mayoral duties, but does not create a vacancy in the office. Motion. A formal proposal made to bring a subject before the Council, a standing committee, or any other board, committee, or commission for its consideration and action. Ordinance. An amendment to the Evanston City Code that requires two readings and that may be legislative or administrative in nature. Packet. The agenda plus all its corresponding agenda items and attachments. Presiding Officer. The Mayor, chair, or other individual who facilitates a meeting of the Council, a standing committee, or any other board, committee, or commission. Quorum. Six members of the Corporate Authorities for a City Council meeting and the majority of the members appointed to any City Council Standing Committee or other board, committee, or commission. Resolution. A formal determination, decision, or direction of the City Council of a temporary or special character for the purpose of expressing a position, establishing a policy, or addressing an issue within the jurisdiction of the City. A resolution may be legislative or administrative in nature and requires only one reading. Administrative resolutions shall include all contractual obligations entered into by the City and approved by the City Council. Referral. A legislative item sponsored by a member of Council and at least two co-sponsors that is submitted to the Referrals Committee for assignment to City Council, a standing committee, or other board, committee, or commission. Second. A statement by a member of Council, a standing committee, or any other board, committee, or commission who agrees that a motion made by another member shall be considered. Special Order of Business. An agenda item that will be considered by Council at a specified date, that takes precedence over the regular agenda, and that addresses matters that (a) are time sensitive; (b) relate to a disaster, emergency, or public health emergency as defined in Section 9-9-2 of the City Code; or (c) do not fall under the jurisdiction of any board, committee, or commission. Standing Committee. A legislative committee of the City Council composed of ouncilmembers. cityofevanston.org Page 5 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules II. Duties and Powers A. Duties of Mayor 1. Presiding Officer. The Mayor is the presiding officer at all meetings of the City Council and shall preserve strict order and decorum at all meetings of the City Council. 2. Ex Officio Member. The Mayor is an ex officio member of all City Council committees, all other committees, boards, and commissions, and can attend any meeting. 3. Approval and Disapproval of Ordinances and Resolutions. All ordinances and resolutions passed by the Council shall be deposited with the City Clerk. The Mayor shall indicate approval of these by signing them. Those disapproved shall be returned to the Council accompanied by written objections at the next regular meeting occurring not less than seven (7) days after passage. The Mayor may disapprove of any one or more sums appropriated in any ordinance or resolution making an appropriation, and, if so, the remainder shall be considered approved. However, the Mayor may disapprove entirely of an ordinance or resolution making an appropriation. If the Mayor fails to return any ordinance or resolution with written objections within the designated time, it shall be considered approved even though it lacks the Mayor's signature. 4. Voting a) The Mayor shall vote on ordinances, resolutions and motions in the following instances: (1) When the vote of the Councilmembers has resulted in a tie; (2) When exactly one-half of the Councilmembers then holding office have voted in favor of an ordinance, resolution, or motion even though there is no tie vote; or (3) When a vote greater than a majority of the corporate authorities is required by law or under these Rules to adopt an ordinance, resolution, or motion. b) The Mayor shall not vote to break a tie vote on an incidental motion. A tie vote on an incidental motion sustains the decision of the Mayor. c) A Mayor pro tem shall not be accorded the voting privilege of Mayor; however, nothing in this section may deprive a Mayor pro tem of the voting privilege of Councilmember. cityofevanston.org Page 6 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules 5. Access to Records. The Mayor shall at all times have access to any and all records, documents, and information relative to any and all functions of the City government as allowed by law. B. Duties of Mayor Pro Tem 1. Temporary Absence of Mayor. If a temporary absence or temporary disability of the Mayor prevents the performance of Mayoral duties, but does not create a vacancy in the office, a City Council member shall act as Mayor pro tem. The Mayor pro tem during such absence or disability shall perform the duties and shall possess all the rights and powers of the Mayor with the exception of voting powers as enumerated in section II(A)(4)(c). 2. Maintenance of List. The Rules Committee shall establish a rotating list by date of Councilmembers to serve as Mayor pro tem. C. Duties of Acting Mayor; Vacancies 1. Vacancy. A vacancy occurs in the office of Mayor by reason of resignation, failure to elect or qualify, death, permanent physical or mental disability, conviction of a disqualifying crime, abandonment of office, removal from office, or by removal of residence from the City. 2. Acting Mayor Election. If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Mayor and there remains an unexpired portion of the term, the office shall be filled in accordance with state law and pursuant to 65 ILCS 5/5-2-12(g) and 65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-50. Where state law requires the City Council to elect an acting mayor, it shall elect one of its members by a simple majority vote of the members of Council then holding office. The Acting Mayor shall perform the duties and possess all the rights and powers of the Mayor until a successor to fill the vacancy has been elected and has qualified. D. Duties of Councilmembers 1. Legislative Powers. The powers of the City Council shall be purely legislative. 2. Approval for Payment. The City Council shall approve for payment all expenses and liabilities of the municipality in the amount of $25,000 or above. 3. Access to Records. A Councilmember shall at all times have access to any and all records, documents, and information relative to any and all functions of the City government as allowed by law. 4. Council Attendance. Promptly at the hour set by law on the date of each regular meeting, the members of the Council shall take their regular stations in the Council cityofevanston.org Page 7 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules Chambers and the business of the Council shall be taken up for consideration and disposition. E. Duties of City Manager Appointment. The City Manager shall be appointed by a two-thirds vote of the Corporate Authorities then holding office. 2. Removal from Office. The City Manager may at any time be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the Corporate Authorities then holding office. 3. Council Attendance. The City Manager shall attend all meetings of the Council with the right to take part in discussion but with no right to vote. 4. Executive Authority. No committee or its individual members shall in any way assume or attempt to assume any executive or administrative function delegated to the City Manager or appointees thereof. 5. Absence or Disability. In the case of absence or disability of the City Manager for a period exceeding thirty days, the Council may designate a qualified administrative officer of the City to perform the duties of the City Manager during the absence or disability. F. Conflicts of Interest and Abstention from Voting 1. Conflicts of Interest. Councilmembers are expected to vote yea or nay on all matters when present except that Councilmembers must abstain from voting on any matter as to which they have a conflict of interest or as to which a reasonable person in their position would believe that there is an appearance of a conflict of interest created by a personal, family, client, or economic interest. Conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, serving on the Board of Directors of any corporation or not -for -profit agency, and participating in any official action to expend City funds or award a public contract to the benefit of a Councilmember's personal, family, client, or economic interest. 2. Disclosure of Conflict a) Councilmembers who believe they may have a conflict of interest or that a reasonable person in their position would believe there is an appearance of a conflict of interest may disclose the potential conflict to the Corporation Counsel no later than 10:00 am on the morning of the public meeting at which the potentially conflicted matter is to be voted on. The Corporation Counsel shall issue a determination on whether a conflict of interest exists no later than one hour before the published meeting time. cityofevanston.org Page 8 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules b) If the Corporation Counsel determines that a conflict of interest exists, pursuant to Section 1-10-4(B) of the Evanston City Ethics Code, the Councilmember shall disclose, either in advance in writing, or verbally at the meeting at which such matter is to be entertained, to the Special Ethics Counsel and to the appropriate board, commission, or City Council, during an open session, the existence of the potential conflict of interest. 3. Abstention from Voting. No member of the Council who has a conflict of interest shall vote upon the conflicted matter. Upon determination by the Corporation Counsel of a conflict of interest, a Councilmember must either eliminate the cause of the conflict of interest or, if that is not feasible, abstain from any direct or indirect official action relating to the matter including but not limited to participating in any discussion, debate, or vote relating to the matter. Councilmembers who abstain from voting due to a conflict of interest must state the reason for abstention at the time they abstain. 4. Recusal. A member who must abstain from voting due to a conflict of interest in any matter shall not remain in the Chamber during the debate on such matter, but shall request and be given the presiding officer's permission to recuse themselves. However, a member may remain in the Chamber if the matter is voted upon without debate. A Councilmember prevented from voting by a conflict of interest shall not be counted as a part of a quorum, and shall be considered absent for the purpose of determining the outcome of any vote on such matter. G. Requests for Staff Assistance 1. Communications with Staff. Elected officials' communications with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the City Manager shall be copied to the City Manager and, if applicable, the Deputy City Manager(s) and the director of the employee's department. Elected officials shall not give directives to any city officer or employee and should address all comments on staff performance or other personnel issues to the City Manager. This rule does not limit communications between chairs of boards, committees, or commissions and staff liaisons to boards, committees, and commissions, but such communications shall be copied to the City Manager and, if applicable, the Deputy City Manager(s) and the director of the employee's department. 2. Ward Communications a) Electronic Communications. Upon request, City staff will support a Ward E-Newsletter. Ward E-Newsletters are limited to twelve (12) per year. City staff will coordinate use of an on-line service for the preparation and issuance of the Ward E-Newsletter. Councilmembers must provide all written content, cityofevanston.org Page 9 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules hyperlinks, and graphics in a Word document so that City staff can format into the newsletter template. All content should be submitted to City staff at least one (1) week prior to the intended issuance date. b) Electronic Announcements. Upon request, City staff will send Ward Announcements on behalf of a Councilmember. Ward Announcements are: (1) ward meeting agenda notifications; (2) meeting notification reminders; (3) PDF document attachments; and (4) single topic ward -specific notifications. Ward Announcements are limited to two (2) per month. City staff will coordinate use of an on-line service in preparation and issuance of announcements. Councilmembers must provide all written content and/or PDF documents for attachment. c) Postcard Announcements. Staff will develop and mail four (4) postcards per year per Councilmember for Ward and/or community meetings, with additional postcard assistance available at the discretion of the City Manager or designee. All content must be submitted to City staff four (4) weeks prior to the mailing date. d) Ward Meetings. City staff can assist Councilmembers in preparation for Ward meetings upon request. Requests for assistance should be made twenty-one (21) days in advance to ensure staff availability and presence. City staff will add ward meetings to the City calendar as soon as dates are determined. City staff can assist in securing space for ward meetings. H. Technology Allowance The Mayor and each Councilmember will receive a monthly technology allowance in the amount of $75 dollars per month to assist with technological amenities associated with conducting City business, including but not limited to high-speed internet service, a mobile phone device/service, or other communications needs. Any additional costs over and above the Technology Allowance will be the responsibility of the individual Councilmember or Mayor. cityofevanston.org Page 10 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules III. Meetings A. Open Meetings All meetings of the City Council shall be open to the public and the press, with the exception of closed sessions as specified in the Open Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120/2. B. Time of Meetings 1. The City Council shall convene twice monthly, except for the months of August and December when the Council shall convene once. The Council shall convene on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month. 2. The open session portion of Council meetings shall conclude no later than 10:00 p.m. and Executive Session shall conclude no later than 11:00 p.m. If a meeting does not conclude on time, a motion must be adopted to continue the meeting. If the motion fails, a motion to adjourn shall be in order. Any motion to extend the meeting shall include a list of specific agenda items to be covered and shall specify in which order these items shall be handled. Any agenda items not completed at a regularly scheduled Council meeting shall be continued to the next meeting of the Council. C. Call to Order The Mayor, or in the Mayor's absence, the Mayor pro tem, shall take the chair precisely at the hour appointed by the meeting Agenda and shall immediately call the Council to order. Upon the arrival of the Mayor, the Mayor pro tem shall immediately relinquish the chair. D. Quorum 1. A quorum of the City Council shall be six (6) members of the City Council currently holding office, including the Mayor, acting Mayor, or Mayor pro tem. Except as required by State law, the City Code, or these rules, action may be taken by a majority vote of a quorum. 2. During the course of the meeting, should the Mayor or presiding officer note a Council quorum is lacking, the Mayor or presiding officer shall call this fact to the attention of the City Clerk. The City Clerk shall issue a quorum call. If a quorum has not been restored within five minutes of a quorum call, the meeting shall be deemed automatically adjourned. E. Roll Call cityofevanston.org Page 11 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules The first order of business at each meeting of the City Council shall be the calling of the roll of the corporate authorities by the City Clerk, who shall mark the absentees and announce whether a quorum is present. The names of those present shall be entered in the minutes and the later arrival of any absentee shall also be entered in the minutes. F. Virtual Councilmember Participation A quorum of Councilmembers must be physically present at a Council meeting. In accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120/7, if a quorum is physically present, a majority of Councilmembers present may vote to allow another member to attend by electronic means if that member is prevented from physically attending the meeting because of (a) personal illness or disability; (b) absence from the jurisdiction for employment purposes or the business of the public body; or (c) a family or other emergency. If a member needs to attend a meeting remotely for one of these reasons, that member must notify the City Clerk three hours before the meeting unless advance notice is impractical. Communications made by the member attending electronically must be made concurrently available to the public. G. Special Meetings 1. Special meetings may be held at any time upon proper public notice as specified in the Open Meetings Act on call of the Mayor, or by the call of three (3) or more Councilmembers. Such call for special meetings shall be in writing duly signed by the callers, and shall be presented to the City Clerk, who shall prepare and issue notices of the same to the Mayor and all members of the Council at least forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting. Such notices shall describe in brief the nature or object of the special meeting. At every special meeting the call for the meeting shall be read and afterwards filed by the Clerk and no business other than that proposed by the call shall be in order at such meeting. 2. Public notice under the Open Meetings Act requires that the notice of a special, rescheduled regular or a reconvened meeting must be given at least forty-eight (48) hours beforehand, and must also include the agenda for the meeting. The notice must be posted in City Hall or at the building in which the meeting is to be held. Copies of the notice must be supplied to all media who have filed an annual request for such service. H. Emergency Meetings . Notice of an emergency meeting shall be given as soon as possible, but in any event, prior to the holding of such meeting, to any news media which has filed an annual request for notice. cityofevanston.org Page 12 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules IV. Agenda A. Publication No ordinance, resolution, or item of business shall be introduced, discussed, or acted upon before the Council at its meeting without having been published on the agenda of the meeting and posted in accordance with Section IV(C), unless otherwise authorized by state law or upon declaration of an emergency. B. Procedure for Bringing Matters Before City Council 1. Placing Items on the Agenda. a) A Councilmember who wishes to place a legislative item on the agenda shall first submit the item to the Referrals Committee. b) Three members of the Council may place a special order of business on the agenda. c) The Mayor may place an item on the agenda. d) The City Manager may place an administrative or non -legislative item on the agenda. 2. Supplemental and Revised Agenda Items. The agenda may be revised or supplemented in order to remove an agenda item that will not be addressed or to add a new topic solely for discussion. A new item may not be added to the agenda less than 48 hours before the meeting if the Council intends to take action on that item. 3. Approval of the Agenda. The Mayor must approve the agenda before it is published. C. Packet Preparation and Posting 1. Preparation of the Packet. Not later than 48 hours before a Council meeting, the City Manager or designee shall prepare the packet, which shall include the agenda plus all its corresponding agenda items. 2. Posting of the Agenda and Packet. The City Manager or designee shall post each agenda of the City Council on the City's website no later than 48 hours in advance of the meeting. 3. Revision of the Packet. The City Manager or designee may make corrections or add supporting documents to the packet after it is posted; however, the City Manager cityofevanston.org Page 13 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules or designee shall not make any substantive alterations to the packet after 48 hours before the Council meeting. D. Agenda Sequence and Order of Business The Council Agenda for a regular meeting shall be conducted in the following order. The Mayor or the Council may vary the order of business. All matters relating to priority of business shall be decided by the Mayor without debate. 1. Mayor Public Announcements and Proclamations 2. City Manager Public Announcements 3. Communications of the City Clerk 4. Public Announcements by Councilmembers 5. Public Comment 6. Special Orders of Business 7. Approval of Minutes 8. Consent Agenda 9. Items for Consideration 10. Appointments 11. Report of Standing and Special Committees 12. Call of the Wards 13. Executive Session 14. Adjournment cityofevanston.org Page 14 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules V. Conduct of Meeting A. Decorum Questions of Order. The Mayor shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide all questions of order. 2. Civility. While the Council is in session, the City Council will practice civility and decorum in their discussions and debate. Councilmembers will value each other's time and will preserve order and decorum. A member shall neither, by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings of the Council, use personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks, nor disturb any other member while that member is speaking or refuse to obey the orders of the presiding officer of the Council, except as otherwise provided herein. 3. Disturbance or Disorderly Conduct. In the case of disturbance or disorderly conduct, the Mayor shall have the power to remove the offending members of the public; to clear the Council Chamber of all spectators; or to suspend or adjourn the meeting. 4. Censure. Any Councilmember who acts in a disorderly manner at a Council or standing committee meeting or who does not obey the order of the Mayor or the Committee Chair may be censured by a majority vote of the members present or expelled for the remainder of the meeting by a two-thirds vote of the Councilmembers present. Any Councilmember who does not comply with the Evanston City Code of Ethics may be censured by a majority vote of members present at a Council meeting. B. Mayor Public Announcements and Proclamations Under this item, the Mayor may bring to the Council's attention any matter not on the regular or consent agenda which requires official Council consideration; it may include announcements, proclamations, veto messages, and other matters but shall not include items for action. C. City Manager Public Announcements Under this item, the City Manager may bring to the Council's attention any matter not on the regular or consent agenda which, in his or her opinion, requires official Council consideration; it may include announcements and other matters but shall not include items for action. D. Communications of the City Clerk cityofevanston.org Page 15 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules Under this item, the City Clerk may bring to the Council's attention any matter not on the regular or consent agenda which, in his or her opinion, requires official Council consideration; it may include announcements and other matters but shall not include items for action. E. Public Announcements by Councilmembers Under this item, each seated Councilmember may make a brief public announcement not to exceed 45 seconds. Announcements shall be limited to notices of upcoming events such as ward meetings, community forums, or public gatherings; information about newsletters, mailings, or other constituent engagement efforts; and shall not include commentary on legislative matters or any discussion of city business beyond the scope of the items listed herein. F. Public Comment 1. Provision of Public Comment. a) The City Council shall provide a period for Public Comment. The business of the City Council shall commence no later than forty-five minutes after the beginning of Public Comment. b) A person invited to address the Council, when accorded the floor, shall limit comments to include items within the jurisdiction of the Evanston City Council as determined by the Mayor and shall be governed by these rules to the extent applicable. c) Disabled persons shall have priority seating in the front row of the public seating area. d) These guidelines are in accordance with 5 ILCS 120/2.06(g). All Public Comment at all meetings will be governed by these guidelines. There is a significant governmental interest in conducting orderly, efficient meetings of the Council. Public Comment time limits are a reasonable time, place, and manner restriction narrowly tailored to serve a significant interest. 2. Sign Up. Interested persons shall sign their name and the agenda item or other topic to be addressed on a designated participation sheet or online form. Persons who sign up to speak on an agenda item marked for decision at that Council meeting may be given priority. 3. Time Limit a) Any member of the public may address the Council and all individuals shall be granted the same amount of time, applied to any and all topics the speaker addresses. cityofevanston.org Page 16 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules b) A member of the public may only speak once at Public Comment, unless the individual is speaking with respect to a public hearing, a quasi-judicial matter, or any other item requiring extended public comment as a matter of due process. c) If the list of speakers for Public Comment includes fewer than 15 people, each person shall be given three minutes. If the list of speakers for Public Comment includes more than 45 people, each shall be given one minute. Otherwise, each speaker shall be given 45 minutes divided by the number of speakers so that Public Comment lasts no more than 45 minutes. d) Any speaker who exceeds their allotted time may be ruled out of order. 4. Ceding Time. Speakers shall not be permitted to cede time to another speaker. 5. Virtual Participation. Individuals may participate in Public Comment by electronic means as designated by the Council. The Mayor may direct the virtual administrator to mute or eject any person found to be out of order. 6. Written Comment. Individuals may submit written comments to the City Council through the City Clerk at any time. Copies of written comments shall be distributed to the Mayor and Members of the City Council by the City Clerk. If a person wishes their written comments to be included in the record of testimony on an agenda item or during Public Comment, these comments must be submitted to the City Clerk prior to the City Council meeting. The City Clerk will acknowledge receipt of the written comments during the meeting and briefly state the subject of the communication. The full text of the written comments may not be read, but it will be included in its entirety in the record of the meeting. 7. Audio/Visual Equipment. Any person who requests to use audio/visual equipment during their comments must provide advance notice to the City Manager's Office by 10:00 am on the day of the meeting and must first receive permission from the Mayor or presiding officer before using the equipment. Any presentation does not constitute a hearing, an opportunity for testimony, cross-examination of witnesses, or submission of evidence. 8. Signs. Persons attending the meeting may hold a sign that is no greater than 8'/2 x 11" in size. Signs that are larger than the stated size will not be permitted. The sign may not block the view of other members of the public and may not be affixed to anything within the Council Chambers, including but not limited to the walls, windows, or podium. 9. Public Comment Decorum a) Any person who utters loud, threatening, personal, or abusive language, or engages in any other disorderly conduct which disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise cityofevanston.org Page 17 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules impedes the orderly conduct of a meeting shall, at the discretion of the Mayor or presiding officer, be barred from further participation during that meeting. b) The Mayor or presiding officer may interrupt any speaker who is violating these rules or disrupting a meeting. c) The Mayor or presiding officer shall attempt to provide a verbal warning to any attendee or speaker that may be violating these rules. However, a verbal warning is not required as a condition for a speaker to have the podium microphone turned off or for a speaker to be removed from the meeting. d) These procedures shall similarly apply to virtual speakers. The Mayor or presiding officer may direct the virtual administrator to mute or eject any person found to be out of order. 10. Councilmember Participation. During Public Comment, Councilmembers and the Mayor shall not comment or respond except to request information or assistance from the City Manager. G. Special Orders of Business A special order of business may be placed on the agenda of a Council Meeting with five (5) days prior notice sent to the City Council via electronic mail. The notice shall specify whether the special order of business addresses matters that (a) are time sensitive; (b) relate to a disaster, emergency, or public health emergency as defined in Section 9-9-2 of the City Code; or (c) do not fall under the jurisdiction of any board, committee, or commission. A special order of business may be placed on the agenda at the request of the Mayor or three (3) members of the City Council. H. Minutes 1. Journal. A journal of the minutes of the City Council, standing committees, and other boards, committees, and commissions, shall be kept by the City Clerk. The Clerk shall deliver a copy of the minutes of the immediately preceding meeting to each Councilmember prior to the convening of the next regular meeting. 2. Recording Motions. In all cases where a motion is entered in the minutes of the Council, the name of the Councilmember making the motion and the name of the Councilmember seconding the motion shall be recorded, except a motion to adjourn. 3. Public Posting. Approved minutes for City Council and for standing committees shall be posted in a timely manner to the City of Evanston's website. I. Consent Agenda cityofevanston.org Page 18 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules 1. Purpose. There shall be a Consent Agenda on all regular meeting Agendas which shall include those matters which the Council may vote on unanimously as an omnibus. 2. Reading of Title. Consent agenda items are marked by an asterisk (*) on the regular Council agenda. Items so marked on the consent agenda shall be presented to the City Council by a reading of the title of the action, pursuant to 65 ILCS 5/3.1-40-40. 3. Single Roll Call Vote. All items on the consent agenda are decided by one roll call vote without debate. 4. Removal from Consent Agenda a) The Mayor or any Councilmember may remove any item from the consent agenda. Such a request does not require a second or a vote. An item removed from the consent agenda will be considered separately. b) The Mayor and Councilmembers are encouraged to inform the City Manager of their decision to remove an item from the consent agenda by 9:00 a.m. on the day of a Council meeting. J. Items for Consideration Items for Consideration shall include reports to be placed on file, items for discussion, and any other agenda items not specified elsewhere. K. Appointments Under this item, the Mayor may recognize those persons being appointed to offices and positions in the City of Evanston pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section VII(B), the City Code, and state law, whether such appointments are subject to confirmation or not. During this period after brief introductions, the City Council may ask questions of the appointee. L. Call of the Wards . Under this item, Councilmembers may bring to the Council's attention any matter not on the regular or consent agenda which, in their opinion, requires official Council consideration; it may include announcements and other matters but shall not include items for action and shall not exceed two minutes per Councilmember. M. Executive Session 1. Majority Vote Required. At any Council meeting for which proper notice under the Open Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120 et seq. has been given, the Council may decide to hold a closed session for any purpose authorized by Section 120/2 of the Act. Such cityofevanston.org Page 19 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules closed session must be approved in open meeting by a majority vote of a quorum present, and each vote and the purpose of the closed session shall be recorded in the minutes of the open meeting. 2. Permissible Topics. Only topics specified in the vote to close may be considered during the closed session. No final action shall be taken in closed session. Minutes of the same quality and detail as regular meetings shall be kept of all closed sessions and shall remain confidential unless the Council determines otherwise. 3. Confidentiality. All proceedings of a closed session shall be kept in strict confidence by all those in attendance. Consideration of confidential information shall be consistent with the Open Meetings Act. A Councilmember who has a question about the confidentiality of an item should make a good faith effort to contact the Corporation Counsel first to discuss the confidentiality of the item before requesting that the City Council consider its confidentiality. N. Media All official meetings of the City Council, its standing committees, and all other boards, committees, and commissions shall be open to the media and recorded by any available technology, provided that such arrangements do not interfere with the orderly conduct of the meeting. cityofevanston.org Page 20 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules VI. Parliamentary Procedure A. Presiding Officer and Parliamentary Rulings The Mayor or presiding officer's powers include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. To rule motions in or out of order, in consultation with the Corporation Counsel who shall serve as the parliamentarian. 2. To maintain order and decorum and decide all questions of order. 3. To consider items in a different order than the order established by the agenda. 4. To regulate the course of the meeting in accordance with these rules and all applicable laws, including the responsibility to regulate speakers and meeting attendees. 5. To determine whether a speaker has gone beyond reasonable standards of courtesy in making remarks and to entertain and rule on objections from other Councilmembers on this ground. 6. To entertain and answer questions of parliamentary law or procedure, in consultation with the Corporation Counsel who shall serve as parliamentarian. 7. To call a brief recess at any time. 8. To adjourn in an emergency. B. Items Council May Consider 1. Ordinances a) Introduction and Action. No ordinance may be adopted by the Council at the same meeting at which it is introduced. During the period between introduction and action, any resident may inspect any such proposed ordinance at the office of the City Clerk. However, an ordinance may be adopted by the Council at the same meeting at which it is introduced after the rules are suspended by a vote of the Council. 2. Resolutions a) Action. A resolution may be adopted by the Council at the same meeting at which it is introduced. C. Council Actions A legislative item may be presented to the Council for one of the following actions: cityofevanston.org Page 21 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules 1. Introduction 2. Action 3. Introduction and action 4. Discussion 5. Accept and place on file D. Motions 1. Definition. A motion is the formal statement by a member of the Council of a proposal or question to the Council for consideration and action. 2. Second Required. No motion shall be debated or otherwise acted upon in the Council unless it is seconded, or unless otherwise provided in these rules. No further action is required on a motion which does not receive a second. Neither the maker nor seconder of a motion shall be required to vote in favor of that motion. 3. Restatement. When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be restated by the presiding officer before a vote. 4. Writing. A motion shall be reduced to writing if requested by the Mayor, a Councilmember, or the Clerk. 5. Withdrawal. A motion or a second may be withdrawn by the proposer at any time before a vote is called. 6. Precedence of Motions. The following motions are in order. Unless otherwise noted, each motion requires a majority of the votes cast for adoption. In order of voting precedence, the motions are: a) Motion to Adjourn (1) Purpose: to terminate a meeting. (2) Debatable or amendable: A motion to adjourn cannot be amended or debated. b) Motion to Adjourn to a Specific Date or Time (1) Purpose: to terminate a meeting and reconvene at a specified future date or time. (2) Debatable or amendable: A motion to adjourn to a specific date or time may be amended and debated. c) Motion to Recess cityofevanston.org Page 22 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules (1) Purpose: to permit an interlude in the meeting and to set a definite time for continuing the meeting. (2) Debatable or amendable: Yes, but restricted to time or duration of recess. d) Motion to Suspend the Rules (1) Purpose: to temporarily suspend a specific rule adopted by Council. (2) Debatable or amendable: No. (3) Vote: Two-thirds supermajority of Councilmembers present e) Motion to Postpone to a Definite Time (1) Purpose: to prevent further discussion and voting on the main motion until a specified future date or event. If the motion fails, discussion and voting on the main motion resumes. If it passes, the subject of the main motion shall not be placed on the agenda again until the specified date or event. (2) Debatable or amendable: Yes, but restricted to time. f) Motion to Table (1) Purpose: to set aside a pending main motion until a future date certain. A motion to take from the table shall not be required. (2) Debatable or amendable: Yes, but restricted to time. g) Motion to Close Debate (1) Purpose: to prevent or stop discussion on the pending debatable motion and to bring the question to vote immediately. If the motion passes, a vote shall be taken on the pending motion. A motion to close debate may also be referred to as a motion to call the question. (2) Debatable or amendable: No h) Motion to Extend Debate (1) Purpose: to extend the time that will be devoted to discussion of a pending motion or to extend or remove limitations already imposed on its discussion. (2) Debatable or amendable: Not debatable; amendments are restricted to the period of time of the proposed extension. i) Motion to Refer to Staff or Board, Committee, or Commission cityofevanston.org Page 23 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules (1) Purpose: to refer the main motion before the Council to City staff, or to a board, committee, or commission for the purpose of investigating or studying the proposal and to make a report or recommendation back to the Council. If the motion fails, discussion or vote on the question resumes. If the motion succeeds, the main motion to which it is applied shall be placed upon the agenda after the investigation or study is completed. (2) Debatable or amendable: Yes j) Motion to Amend (1) Purpose: to modify or change a motion that is being considered by the Council so that it will express more satisfactorily the will of the Councilmembers. No amendment to a motion shall be made which changes the intent of an original motion or relates to a different subject. A primary amendment may be amended by means of a secondary amendment, but an amendment to a secondary amendment is not in order. Only one primary and one secondary amendment may be pending at any time. The secondary amendment shall be voted on before the primary amendment. If the motion passes, then the motion should be voted on as amended. (2) Debatable or amendable: It is debatable unless applied to an undebatable motion. It is amendable. k) Motion to Substitute (1) Purpose: to substitute a motion such that the substitution entirely supersedes the original motion. (2) Debatable or amendable: It is debatable unless applied to an undebatable motion. It is amendable. 1) Motion to Combine (1) Purpose: To combine the consideration of items upon the agenda. If successful, the motion shall operate to take up out of order the items which are referred to and shall be considered as moving and seconding of all bills referred to in the motion which have not previously been moved and seconded. A vote on combined bills shall be considered a vote on all items being combined. (2) Debatable or amendable: It is debatable but not amendable. m) Motion to Hold cityofevanston.org Page 24 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules (1) Purpose: To hold a main motion until further Council action. At the request of two Councilmembers, any matter except a special order of business may be held over for consideration until the next regular meeting of the Council. Any matter so held over may not be held over a second consecutive time by this procedure. (2) Debatable or amendable: It is debatable but not amendable. If a request to hold the matter over is contested by a motion to overrule the request, duly made and seconded, the motion to overrule will be sustained if at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Councilmembers present vote in favor of the motion. A motion to overrule is debatable. n) Motion to Reconsider (1) Purpose: To permit subsequent vote on a motion which has previously been voted upon. A motion to reconsider must be made by a member who voted on the prevailing side of the vote to be reconsidered. Such a motion must be made at the same meeting and must state the date at which the reconsideration will occur. A motion to reconsider cannot be used if the original motion's provisions have been partially carried out, if the vote resulted in irreversible actions, or if a contract has been made and the other party has been notified. (2) Once made and decided in the negative, a motion to reconsider shall not be renewed. A motion to reconsider shall require the same number of votes as the underlying item being reconsidered. (3) Debatable or amendable: It is debatable but not amendable. o) Motion to Reconsider Over the Veto of the Mayor (1) Purpose: To reconsider an ordinance or resolution that is returned to the City Council by a veto of the Mayor. Every ordinance or resolution that is returned to the City Council by a veto of the Mayor shall be reconsidered by the City Council at the next regular meeting occurring not less than seven (7) days after passage. (2) Debatable or Amendable: It is debatable but not amendable. (3) Votes: If two-thirds (six votes) of the Councilmembers holding office agree to pass an ordinance or resolution notwithstanding the Mayor's refusal to approve it, then it shall be effective. p) Main Motion cityofevanston.org Page 25 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules (1) Purpose: To place an ordinance or resolution before the Council for discussion and decision. (2) Debatable or amendable: Yes. E. Miscellaneous Procedures 1. Point of Order or Appeal. The purpose of a point of order or appeal is to raise a question regarding the procedure or rules followed by the presiding officer. The presiding officer shall decide the point before further business is conducted. Any point of order not promptly made shall be out of order and deemed waived. Any member may appeal to the Council from a ruling of the presiding officer. The member making the appeal may briefly state his or her reason for the same and the presiding officer may briefly explain his or her ruling, but there shall be no debate on the appeal and no other member shall participate in the discussion. The presiding officer shall then call for a vote in the following manner, "Shall the decision of the Chair be upheld?" If a majority of the members present vote "No," the decision of the presiding officer shall be overruled, otherwise it shall be sustained. 2. Point of Personal Privilege. The purpose of a point of personal privilege is to allow a member to address the Council regarding a question of the member's integrity, character, motives, or physical comfort. 3. Request for Information. The purpose of a request for information is to request information from the presiding officer or a speaker. The request for information shall be made through the presiding officer or directly to the speaker by leave of the presiding officer. F. Robert's Rules If a matter arises at a Council meeting which is not covered by these Rules or by applicable provisions of federal, state, or local law, the procedures of the Council shall be governed by the latest revised edition of Robert's "Rules of Order Revised." G. Debate 1. Opportunity to Speak. While the Council is in session, no member of the Council shall speak until recognized by the Mayor. A Councilmember called to order by the Mayor shall immediately cease speaking. The Councilmember making the motion shall be given first right to speak on the motion, and the Councilmember making the second shall be given the next opportunity to speak. Then the floor will be open to others wishing to speak. cityofevanston.org Page 26 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules 2. Time Limits. No Councilmember shall speak twice on the same subject unless all other Councilmembers have been given the opportunity to speak at least once. No Councilmember shall speak for longer than five (5) minutes on the same subject except by consent of a majority of the Council. Council consent shall be assumed in the absence of objections by any Councilmember or the Mayor. The Mayor has the authority to set additional limits on the speaking time allotted to Councilmembers during Council discussion. 3. Staff or Expert Presentation. Staff or outside expert presentations shall be limited to ten minutes, unless an advance request is made and deemed appropriate for a longer period of time by the presiding officer. 4. Public Participation. Public participation shall be limited to public comment and shall not be in order during Council debate unless deemed appropriate by the presiding officer. Councilmembers may not cede time to a member of the public. H. Amendments 1. Technical Amendments. A technical amendment, such as one filling in blanks, correcting spelling, correcting a typographical error, or correcting punctuation, may be made on the face of the ordinance or other legislation to be amended. A technical amendment may be moved on the Council floor and adopted at the same meeting, provided it is first reduced to writing. 2. Substantive Amendments a) A substantive amendment, including any made on the Council floor, shall be submitted in writing to and approved as to form by the Corporation Counsel before consideration by the Council. A substantive amendment shall be produced in a separate document, and shall set forth the entire section of the ordinance or proposition affected by the proposed amendment, with insertions and deletions indicated. The Council may not vote on a proposed substantive amendment until and unless a formal amendment complying with the requirements of this section has been prepared and a copy has been presented to every member present. b) If a substantive amendment amends an item for final action and has not been posted on the agenda at least 48 hours in advance of the Council meeting at which it is to be considered, the Council may not vote on it until the following meeting. I. Votes cityofevanston.org Page 27 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules 1. Roll Call Vote. Roll call votes are required on all ordinances, expenditures, calling a closed meeting, items requiring a supermajority, or when requested by a Councilmember. The Mayor shall announce the result of the Council's vote on every roll call. Prior to the Mayor's announcement, Councilmembers may change their votes. 2. Voice Vote. A voice vote may be taken on motions, resolutions, and appointments, except where a roll call vote is specifically required by statute, rule of the Council, by a request of any Councilmember, or where at least one Councilmember is participating remotely. 3. Rotating Roll Call. The order in which Councilmembers shall be called for roll call votes shall be alternated. 4. Majority Vote. All ordinances shall be determined by a majority vote of the Councilmembers then holding office (five votes) unless otherwise required by law or by these Rules. 5. Supermajority Vote a) Votes requiring three-quarters of Councilmembers holding office (seven of nine votes if no vacancies exist) (1) Vacation of streets and alleys. 65 ILCS 5/11-91-1. (2) Passage of Map amendment when thirty percent (30%) of property owners within five hundred feet (500') of the boundary of an area to be amended file a written protest with the City Clerk. (City Code: 6-3-4-7). (3) Passage of a unique use when thirty percent (30%) of property owners within a thousand -foot (1,000') radius of the area boundary file with the City Clerk a written protest. (City Code: 6-3-7-6). b) Votes requiring two-thirds of Councilmembers holding office (six of nine votes if no vacancies exist) (1) Sale or lease of real property. (City Code 1-17-4-1; 1-17-4-2; and 1-17-5). (2) Purchase of goods and services over $25,000 (twenty-five thousand dollars) without public bids, except for federally funded programs, which may have requirements that supersede the City's. (City Code 1-17-1). (3) Passage of an ordinance or resolution over veto of the Mayor. (City Code 1-6-4 (B)). (4) Overruling the Liquor Commissioner in rejection of application. (City Code 3-4-2(C)5). cityofevanston.org Page 28 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules (5) Passage of modification of a site development allowance in excess of that established in a zoning district, upon Plan Commission recommendation and City Council written finding. (City Code 6-3-6-6). c) Votes requiring two-thirds of Councilmembers present (number will vary) (1) Temporary suspension of any rule. (2) Expulsion of a Councilmember for the remainder of a Council meeting. (3) A motion to overrule the request of two Councilmembers to hold a matter over until the next regular meeting. d) Votes requiring two-thirds of corporate authorities then holding office (number will vary) (1) To appoint a City Manager (2) To remove a City Manager (3) To amend the budget (City Code 1-11-5 fl). J. Sine Die Upon adjournment of a Council Term, any outstanding legislation, resolution, amendment, referral, or any other matter that has not been resolved through a final City Council action dies at the end of the term. Any measure or initiative that dies due to the end of a Council term can be reintroduced in the new Council term through the Referrals process to restart the legislative process from the beginning. Any measure or initiative that died and was reintroduced in the new term, and has already passed through a Board, Commission or Committee in the previous term, may be referred to a Standing Committee by the Referrals Committee. cityofevanston.org Page 29 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules VII. Committees A. Open Meetings All regular and special meetings of committees, boards, and commissions shall be open to the public and to the press, except closed sessions as authorized by the statutes of the State of Illinois. B. Appointments 1. Standing Committees a) Members. The Rules Committee shall appoint Councilmembers to standing committees. b) Chair. The Rules Committee shall appoint a chair for each standing committee other than the Referrals Committee. No Councilmember shall chair more than one standing committee at the same time. c) Terms. The term for each member of a standing committee shall be four years and the term for each chair of a standing committee shall be six months. 2. Boards, Committees, and Commissions a) Members. The Mayor shall have the sole right and power, with the advice and consent of the City Council, to make all appointments to all other boards, committees, and commissions, unless otherwise provided by law. No member shall be appointed to serve on more than one board, committee, or commission concurrently, except where required by official position. No staff member shall serve on a board, committee, or commission. b) Procedure. At least two weeks before an appointment is placed on a City Council agenda, the City Council shall be notified of the intended appointment and the Clerk shall transmit to each Councilmember a written biography or similar of the appointee. The same procedure shall apply to any reappointment of a board, committee, or commission member. c) Terms. The term for each member of a board, committee, or commission and each chair of a board, committee, or commission shall be three years, unless otherwise provided by law. d) Reappointment and Vacancies. A board, committee, or commission appointee may be reappointed only once unless otherwise provided by law. When a vacancy is created by the resignation of a member before expiration of the member's term, the member appointed to fill the vacancy shall be cityofevanston.org Page 30 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules appointed to a full term unless otherwise provided by law. All vacancies shall be listed on the City's website, published in any City newsletter, and listed in any ward communications of Councilmembers. e) Chair. Each board, committee, and commission shall elect a chair from among its members unless otherwise provided by law. 3. Special Committees a) Members. Special committees may have one of three forms of membership: (1) composed of Councilmembers, to be appointed by the Council, the Rules Committee, or the Mayor, with the advice and consent of Council; (2) composed of Councilmembers and residents of the City, to be appointed by Councilmembers, the Council, the Rules Committee, or the Mayor, with the advice and consent of Council; (3) composed of residents, to be appointed by the Mayor with advice and consent of the City Council. b) Chairs. Special Committees shall have a chair appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of Council. 4. Temporary Appointments. If a member of a standing committee or a member of any other board, committee, or commission who is also a member of the City Council is unable to attend a committee meeting due to illness or a temporary absence, the Mayor may temporarily replace that member with another member of City Council. The temporary appointment is effective upon consent from both Councilmembers and delivery of written communication from the Mayor to the Committee Chair, and shall remain effective for the duration of the illness or temporary absence. C. Standing Committees There shall be five standing committees of the City Council. The City Council Rules shall govern proceedings of the standing committees. 1. Rules Committee a) Membership. The Rules Committee shall be composed of nine Councilmembers and the Mayor. b) Duties. The duties of the Rules Committee shall be: (1) Assignment of Councilmembers to standing committees; (2) Appointment of chairs to standing committees other than the Referrals Committee; cityofevanston.org Page 31 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules (3) Resolution of jurisdictional disputes between standing committees; (4) Revision of Council Rules; (5) Preparation and maintenance of the list of Councilmembers by seniority to serve as mayor pro tem; (6) Ensuring compliance with the Open Meetings Act; (7) Coordination of the City Manager evaluation; and (8) Any other matters referred to it by the Referrals Committee. c) Meetings. The Rules Committee shall convene as needed upon the call of the Chair. 2. Administration and Public Works a) Membership. The Administration and Public Works Committee shall be composed of at least five Councilmembers. b) Duties. The duties of this committee shall include matters relating to bills and purchases; fire; legal; licensing; personnel; public works (including streets and alleys, lighting, refuse disposal, water and sewers, traffic control, and parking); public buildings; public transportation; public utilities; safety (including civil defense); and capital improvements. c) Meetings. The Administration and Public Works Committee shall convene twice monthly upon the call of the Chair and may convene additionally as needed. 3. Human Services a) Membership. The Human Services Committee shall be composed of at least five Councilmembers. b) Duties. The duties of this committee shall include matters relating to the Department of Health and Human Services (including public health, mental health, youth, aging, emergency assistance and community purchased human services); liaising with human service -related boards and commissions, private and public organizations funding or providing human services within the City, and matters relating to the arts, recreation, library, environment, unemployment, unified budgeting, the Farmers' Market, and Police services; and grievance appeals under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"). c) Meetings. The Human Services Committee shall convene once monthly upon the call of the Chair and may convene additionally as needed. cityofevanston.org Page 32 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules 4. Planning and Development a) Membership. The Planning and Development Committee shall be composed of at least five Councilmembers. b) Duties. The duties of this committee shall include matters relating to planning, physical development, zoning, building conservation, preservation, housing, and relocation. The Committee shall review and advise the City Council on the use and planning of all City park land. c) Meetings. The Planning and Development Committee shall convene twice monthly upon the call of the Chair and may convene additionally as needed. d) Presentations to Committee. For matters before the Planning and Development Committee, an applicant may provide a brief presentation, no more than 10 minutes, to the Committee on its project and application, with advance notice to the City Manager's Office by 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting, or at the request of the Committee during the meeting. At the Chair's discretion, time not to exceed 5 minutes may be granted to designated speakers of community groups to provide a presentation on behalf of the group, also with advance notice to the City Manager's Office by 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. Such advance notice shall include the name of the community group and a list of individuals or institutions represented by the group. Any individual listed as being a representative of the group shall forfeit their right to speak individually on the matter. Any presentation cannot constitute a hearing or an opportunity for testimony or cross examination of witnesses and other evidence. 5. Referrals a) Membership. The Referrals Committee shall be composed of the Mayor, who serves as Chair, and two Councilmembers. b) Duties. (1) The sole duty of this committee shall be to consider referrals made by the Mayor, a Councilmember, or the City Manager and co -referred by at least two additional Councilmembers. It shall, based on a transparent and established set of criteria, refer them to a board, committee, commission, or the City Council, with guidance regarding priority and instructions as to whether they shall appear on the relevant agenda for discussion, introduction, action, or with a request by a Councilmember for introduction and action under Rule V(D)(6)(c). cityofevanston.org Page 33 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules (2) Referrals by the Mayor, Councilmembers, or the City Manager must be made in writing by the lead referrer and transmitted to the Clerk and City Manager or designee, who shall maintain a list of Referrals which must be made public as quickly as practicable. (3) Once a referral has been made public, Councilmembers other than the referrer may elect in writing to the City Manager or designee to become co -referrers. The names of co -referrers will be made public. (4) The committee shall so refer any item that has at least two co -referrers. No proposed public policy change shall appear for action on another standing committee's agenda unless and until it has been approved for consideration via a roll call vote by the Referrals Committee; however, a proposed public policy change may appear on an agenda solely for discussion without prior approval by the Referrals Committee. When the Referrals Committee approves an item for consideration, that approval shall be transmitted in writing to the chair of the relevant committee and committee staff within 24 hours. The committee chair shall then, within one week, inform the Referrals Committee in writing of a date by which the approved item will appear on a committee agenda. c) Meetings. The Referrals Committee shall convene twice monthly upon the call of the Chair and may convene additionally as needed. 6. Committee of the Whole. By majority vote, the Council may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole for the purpose of informally discussing any matter. The presiding officer shall be the Mayor or the appropriate Committee Chair. D. Subcommittees 1. Establishment. The Chair of a board, committee, or commission may establish subcommittees with a majority vote of its members as needed to assist them in more efficiently conducting their business. 2. Reporting. The subcommittee shall report to the board, committee, or commission which created it. 3. Dissolution. The Chair of a board, committee, or commission may dissolve a subcommittee by a majority vote of its members. E. Procedures for Boards, Committees, and Commissions 1. Referrals. Boards, committees, and commissions shall consider all matters referred to them by the Referrals Committee. cityofevanston.org Page 34 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules 2. Referral to Multiple Boards, Committees, and Commissions a) If a matter is referred to more than one board, committee, or commission, the Referrals Committee shall identify which board, committee, or commission is considered the lead committee. If the matter is referred to one standing committee and one or more advisory boards, committees, or commissions, the standing committee shall be the lead committee. b) The lead committee shall be responsible for coordinating with any other boards, committees, and commissions, including whether to hold a joint committee meeting. c) The lead committee shall be responsible for transmitting the recommendation of the multiple boards, committees, and commissions to City Council. 3. Agenda. The chair shall confer with staff upon a regular basis to review the agenda for all public meetings. 4. Conduct of Meeting. Each board, committee, and commission shall adhere to the rules of conduct and protocol applicable to City Council unless otherwise required by law or, with the exception of standing committees, by rules adopted by a majority vote of the board, committee, or commission. 5. Public Comment. Boards, committees, and commissions shall provide opportunities for public comment at each meeting and shall adhere to the procedures set forth for public comment at City Council meetings in Rule V(E), provided that each board, committee, and commission may set an amount of time not less than 20 minutes that it deems an appropriate duration for public comment in order to facilitate public input and the orderly discharge of its duties. 6. Recommendation to City Council or a Standing Committee a) Permissible Recommendations. The chair of each board, committee, and commission shall report committee deliberations and actions to the Council or the standing committee to which it reports, and may appoint, as necessary, a speaker to present majority or minority committee reports to the Council or a standing committee. A board, committee, or commission shall transmit a matter to City Council or a standing committee with one of the following recommendations for action: (1) Positive Recommendation (recommending the item be passed as proposed); (2) Qualified Positive Recommendation (recommending the item be passed with some changes); cityofevanston.org Page 35 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules (3) Qualified Negative Recommendation (recommending the item not be approved unless certain changes are made); (4) Negative Recommendation (recommending the item not be approved); or (5) Neutral Recommendation (no position or tie vote). b) Effect of Recommendation (1) Recommendation by a Standing Committee. Items that have been referred to a standing committee shall only be considered by City Council after a positive, qualified positive, or neutral recommendation from the standing committee, except as otherwise required by law. (2) Recommendation by Other Boards, Committees, or Commissions. Items that have been referred to a board, committee, or commission that is not a standing committee may be considered by City Council or a standing committee upon transmittal of any recommendation, except as otherwise required by law. 7. Re -referral and Reassignment a) A standing committee may re -refer an item to a different board, committee, or commission or to City Council for consideration. b) A board, committee, or commission that is not a standing committee may re -refer an item to a standing committee or to City Council for consideration. c) Any item referred to any board, committee, or commission shall be automatically re -referred to the Referrals Committee if the board, committee, or commission does not transmit a recommendation to Council within six months of the initial referral. Any item so re -referred may remain in the Referrals Committee or be referred to a board, committee, or commission. F. Special Committees Special, or ad hoc, committees may be appointed to consider a specific topic. At the time of creating any special committee, the appointing body shall also designate to whom the special committee will report and the time frame within which its work should be completed. G. Compensation Committee Appointment. The Mayor shall appoint a compensation committee composed of non-Councilmembers no later than January 1 of the year before a municipal election to ensure that the process for recommending and setting the compensation for cityofevanston.org Page 36 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules elected City Officials complies with Title 1, Chapter 5 of the City Code and the Illinois Municipal Code, 65 ILCS 5/3.1-50-10. 2. Report to Council. Pursuant to Title 1 of the City Code, the compensation committee must convene and submit a report and recommendation to the Council no later than 240 days before the next regularly scheduled municipal election. The Council then approves and sets all compensation via ordinance following submission of the compensation committee's report. Any member of the Council may attend and provide information to the committee during its meetings to assist the committee in its work. The committee shall recognize and allow any Council member to speak and submit information to the committee. cityofevanston.org Page 37 of 38 City of Evanston City Council Rules VIII. Repeal The provisions set forth in these Rules shall supersede and replace any and all previously adopted City Council rules. All previously adopted rules are repealed. cityofevanston.org Page 38 of 38 City of Evanston IX. Appendix A - Motions Motion Script Second Debatable Amendable Vote Needed Adjourn Adjourn to a specific date or time Recess Needed "I move that we adjourn" Yes No No Majority "I move that we adjourn Yes Yes Yes Majority until..." "I move that we recess Yes until..." Suspend the rules "I move that we Yes temporarily suspend Rule..." Postpone to a "I move that we postpone Yes definite time this matter until..." Table "I move to table this Yes matter" Close debate (or "I move the previous Yes call the question) question" cityofevanston.org Yes, but restricted Yes, but Majority to time or duration restricted to of recess time or duration of recess No No Two-thirds supermajority of Councilmembers present Yes, but restricted Yes. but Majority to time restricted to time Yes, but restricted Yes, but Majority to time restricted to time No No Majority City of Evanston Motion Extend debate Script Second Needed "I move to extend the time Yes No for debate on this matter by [amount of time]." Refer to staff or "I move to refer this board, committee, matter to..." or commission Yes Yes Amend "I move to amend by Yes Substitute Combine Hold cityofevanston.org [specify content of amendment]" "I move to substitute the Yes motion on the table with..." "I move to combine the Yes following matters..." "I move to hold this matter Yes until the next regular meeting of the City Council" (may not be made regarding a special order of business) Debatable Amendable Yes, but Majority restricted to the period of time of the proposed extension Yes Majority Vote Needed Yes, unless applied Yes Majority to an undebatable motion Yes, unless applied Yes Majority to an undebatable motion Yes No Majority Yes No Requires a request by two Councilmembers. If a request to hold is contested by a motion to overrule, the motion to overrule will be sustained by a two-thirds vote of Councilmembers present. A motion to overrule is debatable but not amendable. City of Evanston Motion Script Second Debatable Amendable Vote Needed Needed Reconsider "I move to reconsider..." Yes Yes No Requires the same number of (must be made by a votes as the underlying item member who voted on the being reconsidered. Once made prevailing side of the vote and decided in the negative, a to be reconsidered, and motion to reconsider may not be must be made at the renewed. same meeting and state the date at which the reconsideration will occur.) Reconsider over "I move to reconsider this Yes Yes No Two-thirds (six votes) of the the veto of the matter over the veto of Councilmembers holding office Mayor the Mayor" Main motion "I move..." Yes Yes Yes Majority Remove item from "I move to remove from No No No No vote required. the consent the consent agenda..." Councilmembers are agenda encouraged to inform the City Manager of their decision to remove an item from the consent agenda by 9:00 a.m. on the day of a Council meeting. Point of order or "Point of order" No No No Presiding officer decides appeal Point of personal "Point of personal No No No Presiding officer decides privilege privilege" cityofevanston.org City of Evanston Motion Request for information cityofevanston.org Script "Point of information" Second Debatable Needed Amendable Vote Needed No Presiding officer decides