title
A motion amending Article II, subsection O “Recording of Minutes & Voting” of the Rules of Council, adding a new subsection O (2) to provide for a housekeeping provision to ensure all available minutes be approved prior to the end of each term of Council.
body
Whereas, it is the practice of Allegheny County Council to approve minutes for committee and regular meetings prior to making them available to the public; and
Whereas, there are inevitably minutes left from the previous term from the last committee meetings held which have not been approved by the committees which generated them; and
Whereas, the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act entitles the public to inspect and copy meeting minutes; and
Whereas, following each municipal election cycle new committees of Council are established at the January meeting commencing each Council term; and
Whereas, the new term will necessarily include new council members and different committee memberships, Council desires to approve all unapproved minutes prior to membership changes allowing the members to approve the minutes for meetings which they attended; and
Whereas, in the interest of efficiency and public availability of the minutes Council desires to conduct housekeeping during the final meeting of each term to approve all outstanding minutes for the current term prior to its expiration;
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS MOVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY,
Council hereby approves the following amendment to Article II, subsection O “Recording of Minutes & Voting” of the Rules of Council:
O. Recording of Minutes & Voting
1. At all regular, special, committee, and emergency meetings, the Clerk shall be responsible for maintaining a record of all votes, minutes, and meeting summaries. Minutes shall include the date, time, and place of the meeting, the names of members present, the substance of all official actions and a record by individual member of the roll call taken, the names of all citizens who appeared officially, and the subject of their testimony. Corrections of the minutes may be made by a simple majority vote of the members present at the Council meeting at which said minutes are on the agenda for approval.
2. The Clerk shall place the available minutes of each previously held meeting on an agenda to be read and approved at the following corresponding meeting of the committee or Council. At the last meeting of each Council term, the Clerk shall place all minutes which are available for approval but have not yet been approved during the current term on the agenda for approval.
3. All proposed motions, resolutions, and ordinances introduced to Council for a final vote shall be passed by an affirmative vote of the majority of the seated members of Council, unless otherwise provided for by these Rules, the Administrative Code, the Home Rule Charter, or other applicable law.
4. When any bill, upon its final presentation, receives the affirmative or negative vote of a majority of the council members present, but not a majority of the seated members, such bill shall be considered held, and may be called up for further action at the same or any subsequent meeting by an affirmative vote of the majority of the seated members of Council.
5. The President or Presiding Officer, may call for a voice vote on any motion or appointment. If the vote is not unanimous, a roll call vote must be taken.
6. Roll call votes shall be called alphabetically by member with the President or Presiding Officer being last. Once a vote has been called for, all comments shall cease. The Clerk shall read the motion, resolution, or ordinance title and conduct the vote.
7. Voting by secret ballot is prohibited.
8. A council member may abstain from voting only when the abstention is accompanied by an explanation.
9. The Clerk shall repeat all motions made from the floor, conduct the vote, and announce all decisions of Council. The President or Presiding Officer shall decide all questions of order without debate, subject to an appeal by any member. Any ruling by the President or Presiding Officer on a point of order may be overruled by a majority of members present.