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Home My Public Portal AboutResolution No. 582-23 08-28-2023 RESOLUTION NO. 582-23 A RESOLUTION OF THE RICHLAND HILLS CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE FOLLOWING A CHARTER AMENDMENT ELECTION BY REPLACING ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER WITH PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE; ADDING SUBSECTION 5.E. RELATED TO CITY COUNCIL ABSENCES; AMENDING SECTIONS 6.A. AGENDA AND 6.B. SUBMITTING REQUEST FOR AGENDA; REVISING LANGUAGE IN SECTION 7.B. RELATED TO VOTING; REVISING SECTION 8.B. RELATED TO MAJORITY VOTE; REVISING LANGUAGE IN SECTIONS 10 AND 11; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City of Richland Hills is a home rule city acting under its charter adopted by the electorate pursuant to Article XI, Section 5 of the Texas Constitution and Chapter 9 of the Local Government Code; and WHEREAS, the City of Richland Hills held a Charter Amendment Election on May 6, 2023; and WHEREAS, several amendments passed during the Charter Amendment Election affected the way the City Council conducts its business so the City Council Rules of Procedure must be amended to account for these changes; and WHEREAS, in accordance with the City Council Rules of Procedure 2.C. Amendment of Rules, proposed amendments must be presented to City Council at a prior meeting before the rules can be adopted; and WHEREAS, the City Council considered the proposed changes at their August 14, 2023 Regular Meeting. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, THAT: SECTION 1. AMENDMENT Replace "Robert's Rules of Order" with "Parliamentary Procedure" throughout the document. SECTION 2. AMENDMENT Section S.E. of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby added to read as follows: E. City Council Attendance: If a Council Member is unable to attend a meeting, notification should be made to the Mayor, City Manager and City Secretary prior to the meeting in which the member will be absent. At each regular meeting from which the Mayor or Council Member is absent, the City Council shall determine whether the absence is excused. City Council may, by majority vote, excuse the absence or absences of a member. Any absence in which the appropriate notifications were not provided will be deemed unexcused. SECTION 3. AMENDMENT Section 6.A. of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby amended to read as follows: A. Agenda: The order of business of each City Council meeting shall be contained in the Agenda prepared by the City Manager and shall generally be as follows: CALL TO ORDER II. INVOCATION AND PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE III. PRESENTATIONS/RECOGNITIONS/PROCLAMATIONS IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS V. CONSENT AGENDA VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS VII. ACTION ITEMS VIII. BOARD APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS IX. REPORTS X. EXECUTIVE SESSION XI. ADJOURNMENT SECTION 4. AMENDMENT Section 6.B. of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby amended to read as follows: B. Submitting Request for Agenda: The Mayor, a Council Member or the City Manager may request an item be placed on the next available regularly scheduled agenda for Council deliberation and possible action. A Council Member request to add an agenda item must be submitted with support from another Council Member. Any citizen desiring to present an item for consideration on the City Council Agenda may contact any member of the Council to discuss the item. The City Manager's Office will notify the person requesting placement of an item on the agenda of the meeting date at which the item will be discussed. A person may also appear at a Council Meeting under the Public Input or Public Comment portion of the agenda and request the City Council place an item on a future agenda. Any member of the Council at this time may direct the City Manager to place the item Resolution No. 582-23, Page 2 of 5 on the next regularly scheduled agenda or specify a date certain on which the item is to appear. SECTION 5. AMENDMENT Section 7.B. of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby amended to read as follows: B. Voting: All votes shall be recorded in the permanent record of the Council. Votes may be cast electronically if the necessary equipment is available. The Presiding Officer may call for an oral roll call vote on an item at his or her discretion. SECTION 6. AMENDMENT Section 8.B. of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby amended to read as follows: B. Vote Required: A majority of the City Council Members holding numbered places shall constitute a quorum to do business, and the affirmative vote of at least four members shall be necessary to adopt any ordinance or resolution, unless applicable law or ordinance establishes a greater requirement. SECTION 7. AMENDMENT Section 10.B(1) of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby amended to read as follows: (1) A motion or request to reconsider may be made at the meeting at which the action to be reconsidered was taken. In such event, the motion or request to reconsider can be made, seconded, debated, and acted upon even though it is not on the formal agenda, and if the motion is approved as provided herein, the item to be reconsidered will be reopened immediately. SECTION 8. AMENDMENT Section 11.B(1) of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby amended to read as follows: (1) Not bring food, placards, banners, or signs into the City Council chamber or into any other room in which the City Council is meeting, except exhibits, displays, and visual aids intended to be used in connection with substantive presentations to the City Council on a listed agenda item. Resolution No. 582-23, Page 3 of 5 SECTION 9. AMENDMENT Section 11.C(1) of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby amended to read as follows: (1) The Council has established a standing agenda item entitled "Public Comments" for the purpose of hearing citizen concerns. Any citizen may speak on any item not specifically identified on the agenda during the Public Comments portion of the agenda. The citizen shall provide their name and address prior to beginning to address the Council. SECTION 10. AMENDMENT Section 11 .F of the City Council Rules of Procedure is hereby amended to read as follows: F. In the event that the violation is determined to be of such severity or in the case of repeated violations by the same person, the Council, by motion may prohibit the offending person from speaking or attending meetings for a period of time to be determined by the Council. Any person so barred may submit written comments on any agenda items during this period for inclusion in the Council's records of the proceedings. If submitted at least one full day in advance of the meeting on the appropriate agenda item, such written comment will be reviewed by City staff prior to the meeting for compliance with these Rules of Procedure, Roberts Rules of Order and applicable law, and if determined to be compliant, such comments will be read by City staff or the Presiding Officer in lieu of allowing that person to speak during debate on the particular agenda item at issue after first identifying the author. In the event that submitted written comments are determined to also be in violation of these rules, they may be the basis for further action to enforce compliance with these rules. SECTION 11. REMAINDER OF RULES UNCHANGED The City Council Rules of Procedure previously approved and adopted by the City Council, except to the extent amended herein, shall remain unchanged. SECTION 12. EFFECTIVE DATE This Resolution shall be effective upon its adoption. Resolution No. 582-23, Page 4 of 5 APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular called meeting of the Richland Hills City Council on August 28, 2023, by a vote of "7 ayes, 0 nays, and abstentions. APPROVED: ATTEST: The Honorable Mayor Edward Lopez dsay lin on, City Secretary 001 I I t I I I N N/►►N F. o: fir /////////i►►t t i t t 1711�• . \\\\\\ Resolution No. 582-23, Page 5 of 5