Fort Walton Beach Resolution — 2025-29 Amending Resolution 2023-22 Rules of Procedure for Council Meetings — reading text

RESOLUTION 2025- 29 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING RESOLUTION 2023- 22 RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR COUNCIL MEETINGS; PROVIDING FOR AUTHORITY; GENERAL RULES; TYPES OF MEETINGS; PRESIDING OFFICER AND DUTIES; ORDER OF BUSINESS; ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, AND OPINIONS; CITIZEN PRESENTATIONS; SUSPENSION AND AMENDMENT OF RULES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the need to amend and adopt rules of procedure for Council Meetings; and WHEREAS, it is recognized that rules of procedure will establish consistent agendas and orderly meetings; and WHEREAS, the City Council feels it in the best interest of the City of Fort Walton Beach to amend Resolution 2023- 22 Rules of Procedure for Council Meetings; WHEREAS, to avoid confusion and ensure that non- parliamentary, ceremonial, and representational functions are delegated in a manner consistent with the City' s hierarchy and expectations, the City Council desires to establish a clear and uniform procedure for designating an alternative representative when the Mayor is unavailable to perform one of the aforementioned functions. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Fort Walton Beach does hereby amend the Rules of Procedure for the City of Fort Walton Beach Council meetings as follows: 1. AUTHORITY: 1. 1 Authority: The authority for this resolution is the City Charter and Section 286.0114, Florida Statutes. 1. 2 Rule Power: The Charter of the City of Fort Walton Beach provides that the Council may determine its own rules of procedure for meetings. Limiting mandates are provided by general law. 2. RULES ESTABLISHED: 2. 1 Rules Established: The following set of rules shall be in effect upon their adoption by the Council and until such time as they are amended or new rules adopted in the manner provided by these rules. 3. GENERAL RULES: 3. 1 Meetings to be Public: All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public, except for such meetings as are exempt by general law. 3. 2 Quorum: A majority of the members of the Council, free of voting conflict,  RESOLUTION 2025- 29 shall constitute a quorum and be necessary for the transaction of business. If a quorum is not present, those in attendance will be named and they shall adjourn to a later time. 3. 3 Compelling Attendance: The Council may adjourn from time to time to compel the attendance of absent members. 3. 4 Minutes of Proceedings: Minutes of the meetings of the Council shall be kept by the City Clerk, except for such meetings as are exempt by general law. 3. 5 Right Any Council Member desiring to speak shall first be of Floor: recognized by the Presiding Officer, and shall confine his or her remarks to the one subject under consideration or to be considered. 3. 6 City Manager: The City Manager or his or her designee is expected to attend all meetings of the Council and should take part in all discussions of the Council. 3. 7 City Attorney: The City Attorney or his or her designee is expected to attend all meetings of the Council and provide guidance and opinions, on questions of law and shall act as the Council' s parliamentarian by advising the Presiding Officer regarding matters of procedure. 3. 8 City Clerk: The City Clerk or his or her designee shall attend all meetings of the Council and shall keep the official minutes of proceedings and perform such other duties as may be requested by the City Manager or Council. 3. 9 Rules of Order: Roberts Rules of Order Revised shall serve as a guide to the proceedings of the Council to the extent they are not in conflict with these rules. 3. 10 Motion to Reconsider: An action of the Council may be reconsidered only at the same meeting at which the action was taken. A motion to reconsider may be made only by a Council Member who voted on the prevailing side of the question and must be concurred in by a majority of those present at the meeting. Adoption of a motion to reconsider shall rescind the action reconsidered. 3. 11 Motion to Rescind: An action of the Council taken at a previous meeting ( the previous may generally be rescinded at a subsequent meeting. Motions to Rescind action") shall be governed by the following process: 1. A Council Member seeking rescission of a previous action shall place a Motion to Consider Rescission on the agenda of a regular Council meeting. If a majority of the full membership of the Council approves the Motion to Consider Rescission, the Motion to Rescind shall be placed on the agenda of the next regular Council meeting. If less than a majority of the full membership vote in favor of the Motion to Consider Rescission, no Motion to Rescind the previous action shall be considered by the Council. 2. Approval of a Motion to Rescind requires the affirmative vote of a  RESOLUTION 2025- 29 majority of the full membership of the Council. 3. If a Motion to Rescind is approved, the Council shall, at the same meeting, either consider the previous action or set a date certain for its consideration. 4. Notwithstanding anything stated above, a Motion to Rescind initiated by a Council Member who voted on the losing side in connection with the previous action shall not be in order unless the Council determines: a. Subsequent information has become known that ( i) would have been material to the Council' s decision on the previous action, and ( ii) would have militated for a different result; or b. A rescission of the previous action is imperative to avoid a material cost, risk, harm, or other jeopardy to the City or its citizens, and the material cost, risk, harm, or other jeopardy could not have been known at the time of the Council' s previous action. 5. For purposes of the Motion to Rescind, a Council Member who was absent for a vote on the motion in connection with the previous action is deemed to have been on the prevailing side of the vote. 6. There may be actions of Council taken regarding which the Council is estopped from rescinding. 3. 12 Action Savings: No action taken by the Council shall be deemed void or invalid because of the failure to adhere to Robert' s Rules of Order or the provisions of these rules of order and procedure, except as may otherwise be provided by general law. 4. TYPES OF MEETINGS: 4. 1 Regular Meeting: The Council shall meet in the Council Chambers or another designated place within the City boundaries, for meetings. Regular Council Meetings are to commence at 6: 00 p.m. unless otherwise specified, on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month unless Council deems a meeting is not necessary due to conflicts with holidays or other events. Council shall set the annual meeting schedule for the calendar year prior to the end of the preceding year. 4. 2 Special Meetings: Special Meetings may be held on the call of the Mayor, the City Manager, or any three ( 3) Council Members. The call for a Special Meeting shall be in writing and filed with the City Clerk, except that an announcement of a special meeting during any regular meeting shall be sufficient for such special meeting unless otherwise provided by general law. When practical there shall be twenty-four (24) hour notice to each Council Member and local news media.  RESOLUTION 2025- 29 4. 3 Executive Sessions: Executive Sessions regarding pending litigation or collective bargaining shall be called and held in accordance with Florida law. When practical there shall be a twenty- four( 24) hour notice to each Council Member and local news media. 4. 4 Adjourned Meetings: Any meeting of the Council may be adjourned to a later date and time. 4. 5 Workshop Meetings: The. Council may meet informally in workshop meetings open to the public) at the call of the Mayor, of the City Manager, or of any three ( 3) Council Members. No ordinances, resolutions or other actions may be adopted at such meeting provided that the Council may direct staff to take actions that do not entail the expenditure of City funds. 4. 6 Emergency Meetings: Emergency meetings may be held on the call of the Mayor, the City Manager, or of any three ( 3) Council Members whenever there is a public emergency affecting life, health, property or the public peace, and whenever practicable, upon no less than one ( 1) hours' notice to each Council Member and local news media. 4. 7 Telephonic If a quorum of the City Council is physically Participation: present, other members of the City Council may participate, but not vote, by phone provided they can be heard on the record and they can hear the other members of the City Council and the participating public. 5. PRESIDING OFFICER AND DUTIES: 5. 1 Presiding Officer: The Mayor, if present, shall preside at all meetings of the Council. In the absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tern shall preside. In the absence of both the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tern, the meeting shall be called to order by the City Clerk for the purpose of electing a temporary presiding officer. 5. 2 Call to Order: The meetings of the Council shall be called to order by the Presiding Officer. 5. 3 Preservation of Order: The Presiding Officer shall preserve order and decorum; prevent attacks on personalities or the impugning of members or motives, and confine members in debate to the question under discussion. 5. 4 Points of Order: The Presiding Officer shall determine all points of order, subject to the right of any member to appeal to the Council. If any appeal is taken, the question shall be, " Shall the decision of the presiding officer be sustained?" A majority of the Council sitting and eligible to vote is required to reverse the ruling of the Presiding Officer. 5. 5 Voting: Voting by registering votes on the electronic voting board shall be used. 6. ORDER OF BUSINESS: 6. 1 Order of Business: The general rule as to the order of business in regular  RESOLUTION 2025- 29 meetings shall be as follows: Call to Order; Invocation; Pledge of Allegiance; Approval of Agenda; Proclamations; Recognitions; Presentations; Consent Agenda; Mayor/ Council Comments; Public Comments ( Subject to limitations provided in Sec. 286. 0114, Florida Statutes); Quasi- Judicial Hearings; Resolutions; Ordinances- First Reading; Ordinances- Second Reading; Appointments; Action- Direction-Discussion; City Manager Reports; City Attorney Reports; Mayor/Council Final Comments; Adjournment 6. 2 Agenda: The order of business of each regular meeting shall be as contained in the Agenda. The Agenda shall be a listing by topic of subjects to be considered by Council. A