§ 2-51. Committees.

(a)

Unless otherwise specially ordered by the council, the presiding officer of the common council shall appoint, subject to the approval of the council, at the second regular meeting of each year, the following standing committees, each to consist of not less than three members:

(1)

Budget and finance.

(2)

Land use planning.

(3)

Public health and safety.

(4)

Public improvements.

(5)

Personnel.

(6)

Substandard housing.

(b)

Select committees, when deemed advisable, shall be appointed by the presiding officer of the common council, subject to the approval of the council.

(c)

Each committee shall organize itself by majority vote.

(d)

It shall be the duty of the chairman of each committee to call committee meetings, but in the event the chairman is absent or declines to call the meetings, the committee shall meet on the call of any two of its members.

(e)

A select committee, when its report is made and disposed of, shall be deemed to have no other business and to stand dissolved without motion; an affirmative vote on recommitment by a majority of the common council has the effect of reviving the committee.

(f)

All actions of any committee shall require a concurring vote of the majority of the members of the committee. Minority reports, when filed, shall be noted by the clerk in the minutes of the meeting at which the report is made. If any committee declines or fails to take action on any matter referred to it by the presiding officer or a majority of the council, the council may by majority vote withdraw the matter for consideration from the committee and may act as a committee of the whole, in considering the withdrawn matter.

(g)

When any matter has been referred to a committee, the councilmember introducing the matter shall have the right to meet with and act as a member of the committee during its deliberation thereon, but he shall not vote.

(h)

A committee may not erase, interline, or blot any ordinance, resolution, or any other paper referred to it, but must enter upon separate paper any amendments it may propose stating the words which it is proposing to insert or omit by reference to page, line, and words of the original paper.

(i)

The presiding officer shall serve as an ex-officio member of each committee of the council and shall refer ordinances to committees for recommendation after first reading. The presiding officer shall call for the committee report from the committee so assigned after second reading of the title of each ordinance and prior to its public hearing.

(Code 1968, tit. 20, art. I, § 5; Code 1985, § 30.04; Ord. No. 300, 8-6-1906; Ord. No. 1534, 11-3-1969; Ord. No. 2493, 12-21-1981; Ord. No. 3809, 2-7-1994)