HomeMy Public PortalAbout121.5 - Executive Offices - City Council - City Council Decorum PolicyCity of Orlando
City Council Section 121.5
Policies and Procedures Manual Page 1
121.5: City Council Rules of Order and
Decorum
Objective:
Maintain order and decorum in City Council Meetings.
Authority:
This policy amended by City Council March 22, 2021, Item A-5.
Direction:
The Mayor and Commissioners, as elected officials, serve at the pleasure
of the qualified electors of the City. The Mayor is the presiding officer.
Functions:
1. Rules of Order and Decorum:
a. Members of the public shall have a reasonable opportunity to
be heard on any proposition pending before the City Council,
with the exception of ministerial actions such as approval of the
Council’s meeting minutes and ceremonial proclamations. Time
will be set aside during City Council’s Agenda Review meeting
for public comment on matters on the Council agenda, but not
set for public hearing at the regular City Council meeting. Each
member of the public will be limited to three (3) minutes. The
total time for public comment at any one meeting will not
exceed thirty (30) minutes. Groups or factions with the same
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Policies and Procedures Manual Page 2
interests will be requested to designate a representative or
representatives to present the views of the group to the
Council. Should the Agenda Review meeting not take place for
any reason, time for this public comment will be provided at the
regular City Council meeting, prior to any action on the Consent
Agenda.
b. City Council may establish time limits for members of the public
to address Council at its regular meeting. Unless such time limit
is otherwise established, each member of the public shall be
limited to three (3) minutes. Each person addressing the
Council shall step to the microphone at the podium and shall
give his/her name and address in an audible tone of voice for
the record. All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a
body and not to any member thereof.
c. Except for applause after an award or presentation, no member
of the audience shall make or cause to be made any disruptive
sound during a Council Meeting. No member of the audience
shall make personal or slanderous remarks or become
otherwise disorderly while the Council is in session.
d. No demonstrations of approval or disapproval from the
audience shall be permitted.
e. Due to limited seating capacity of Council Chambers and to
ensure good visibility and safe ingress and egress, no signs or
graphic displays of any kind shall be displayed in Council
Chambers except in connection with a presentation made to
Council by a speaker at the podium.
f. All electronic devices shall either be turned off or placed in
silent mode during City Council Meetings.
g. No food or beverage shall be consumed in Council Chambers.
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h. Any violation of paragraphs a-g above shall be considered a
violation of order and decorum of the meeting.
i. The presiding officer may declare a person in violation of the
order and decorum of the meeting and warn them to depart the
premises. If the individual refuses to leave after receiving a
warning from the presiding officer, he/she shall be removed
from the meeting room by the Sergeant-at-Arms and may be
arrested for trespass after warning.
2. Presentations to Council: Any information presented to City Council
for its consideration in any format must be submitted to the City
Clerk’s Office no later than the Wednesday immediately prior to the
Council meeting in order to have the presentation facilitated for
Council viewing and broadcast. If presentations are submitted after
that deadline, it may not be possible for them to be played or
displayed during the meeting, although ten (10) hard copies can be
submitted to the City Clerk for distribution to Council. Documents and
presentations displayed during the City Council meeting shall become
a public record and must be submitted to the City Clerk for retention.
Forms:
None.
Committee Responsibilities:
Not applicable.
Reference:
City Code Sections 2.38, 2.44 and 2.46, s. 286.0114, Florida Statutes;
amended March 22, 2021, Item A-5.
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City Council Section 121.5
Policies and Procedures Manual Page 4
Date:
This policy effective April 12, 2021.