Search ▸ Communication to the City Council
COF 2016 # 9 · Communication to the City Council · Feb 22 2016
a communication from Mayor E. Denise Simmons transmitting proposed changes to the City Council Rules and the City Council Committee Assignments for the Council Term 2016-2017
DRAFT CHANGES
(ADOPTED ON JANUARY 4, 2016)
RULES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
2016-2017
These rules, after adoption by the City Council, shall be published and made available
to the public.
Rule 1. At all meetings of the City Council five (5) Councillors shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business.
DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE CHAIR.
Rule 2. On the first Monday of January, following the regular municipal election, the
City Council shall by a majority vote of all the members elected, elect a mayor from its
own members who shall preside at all meetings of the City Council and perform such
other duties as are prescribed in section one hundred (100) of Chapter 43 of the
General Laws, and any acts in amendment thereof or supplementary thereto. The
City Council shall, in like manner, elect a Vice-Chair who shall also be called Vice-
Mayor.
Rule 3. The Mayor shall take the chair at the hour to which the City Council has
adjourned and call the members to order. In the absence of the Mayor, the Vice-Chair
of the City Council shall preside and, in the absence of both, the most senior member
in length of service or if more than one have so served then the member senior in both
age and length of service who is present shall serve as chair during the absence of both
the Mayor and Vice-chair.
Rule 4. The Mayor shall preserve decorum and order, and may speak to points of
order, in preference to other members. The Mayor shall decide all questions of order,
subject to an appeal to the City Council, regularly seconded. If the ruling of the chair
is questioned, no other business shall be in order until the question on the appeal shall
have been decided; the question shall be put as follows: "Shall the decision of the chair
stand as the judgment of the City Council?" The vote shall be by roll call, and it shall
be decided in the affirmative unless a majority of the votes are to the contrary.
Rule 5. The Mayor shall declare all votes. If any member doubts the vote, the chair
without further debate upon the question, shall require the members voting in the
affirmative and negative, respectively, to be counted; the Mayor shall declare the
results, but no such declaration shall be made unless a quorum of the City Council has
voted.
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Rule 6. All final votes of the City Council on questions involving the expenditure of
fifty dollars or more, or upon the request of any member, any vote of the City Council
shall be by yeas and nays and shall be entered on the records.
Rule 7. All petitions, memorials, communications or any matter before the City
Council may be referred as follows:
1. To a standing committee of the City Council.
2. To a consent agenda.
3. To a special committee of the City Council.
4. To the City Manager.
5. To any department or department head or any person, group or
organization to whom referral is permitted, authorized or allowed under the
provisions of the Plan E Charter and under applicable provisions of the
Massachusetts General Laws.
Any member offering a motion, order or resolution which is referred to a committee
shall be given a hearing on the same by the committee before a report is made thereon,
provided he or she so requests at the time of the communication, or before final action
by the committee.
Rule 8. The chair shall put all questions in the order in which they are moved, unless
the subsequent motion be previous in its nature, except that in naming sums and fixing
times, the largest sum and the longest time shall be first put. After a motion has been
put by the chair, it shall not be withdrawn except by unanimous consent.
Rule 9. When a question is under debate the chair shall receive no motion, but
To Adjourn.
To Lay on the Table.
To Postpone to a certain day.
For the Previous Question.
To Refer.
To Amend.
To Postpone indefinitely.
These motions shall have precedence in the above order. A motion to adjourn shall be
in order at any time except upon immediate repetition. A motion to adjourn, to lay on
the table, to take from the table, or for the previous question shall be decided without
debate.
Rule 10. The previous question shall be put in the following form: "Shall the main
question be put?" and all further amendments or debates of the main question shall be
suspended until the previous question is decided.
Rule 11. When two or more members ask to be recognized at once, the chair shall
name the member who is entitled to the floor.
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RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS
Rule 12. Every member, when about to speak shall respectfully address the chair, and
wait to be recognized. The member shall confine his or her remarks to the question
under debate and avoid personalities.
Rule 13. No member speaking shall be interrupted by another except to make a point
of order, request an explanation, or request a point of personal privilege.
Rule 14. No member shall vote on any question, or serve on any committee, where his
or her private interest is immediately concerned distinct from that of the public. The
City Council shall by be ordinance establish and implement a code of ethics for its
members and for all city employees.
Rule 15. When a question is put, every member present shall vote unless the City
Council for special reasons excuses him or her. A vote of "Present" shall be accepted
by the chair and so recorded. Application to be excused from voting must be made
before the vote of the City Council has been decided. Such application shall be
accompanied by a brief statement of the reasons and shall be decided without debate.
Rule 16. A question having been taken, it shall not be in order for any member to
move a reconsideration thereof at the same meeting. A motion to reconsider may be
made at the next meeting, provided written notice of such motion has been filed with
the City Clerk within thirty-six hours of the day of the vote, Saturdays, Sundays and
legal holidays to be excluded in the computation of the thirty-six hours. No more than
one motion for reconsideration of any vote shall be entertained. Any member among
those whose vote prevailed may move reconsideration; if reconsideration is not moved
prior to the adjournment of the next regular or special meeting called for that
particular purpose, the action taken by the City Council stands.
SPECIAL EVENTS PRESENTATATIONS AND REGULAR MEETINGS
Rule 17. Special Events Presentations.
Commencing at 5:00 p. m. before any regular meetings there may be a
SPECIAL EVENTS PRESENTATION. At this time special events will be presented
and may be broadcast on cable television. Special Events Presentations will be
scheduled through the Mayor’s Office. The Special Events Presentations will conclude
at 5:30 p.m. No quorum of the City Council is required.
Rule 18. Regular Meetings.
All regular meetings of the City Council shall be held in the Sullivan Chamber,
City Hall, or, if agreed to by a majority of the City Council, at any other suitable
public building within the City of Cambridge, at 5:30 p.m. on Monday of each week,
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from the first Monday in January to and including the last Monday in June, and from
the second Monday in September to and including the last Monday in December.
When a meeting day falls on a holiday, the succeeding Monday shall be the
meeting. The City Council may at any meeting, by a majority vote, decide to
discontinue any future meeting previously scheduled. All City Council meetings shall
end no later than l2: 00 midnight.
SPECIAL MEETINGS
Rule 19. The Mayor, or the Vice-Chair of the City Council, or any four members
thereof, may at any time call a special meeting by causing written notices, stating the
time of holding such meeting and signed by the person calling the same, to be delivered
in hand to each member of the City Council, or left at his or her usual dwelling place,
or delivered electronically with at least forty-eight hours’ notice (excluding Saturdays,
Sundays and legal holidays) to all members and with notice provided to the public by
posting same at least forty-eight hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal
holidays) prior to each meeting.
CALENDAR
Rule 20. Any ordinance, order or resolution may be passed through all its stages of
legislation at one session, provided that no member of the City Council objects thereto;
but if any member of the City Council objects, the measure shall be postponed for that
meeting (the “Charter Right”.) (Chapter 43, Section 22 of the General Laws.)
Any member may move the item, which has been subject to the Charter Right. If no
action is taken at the next regular meeting by any member, then the item will be
removed from the City Council Calendar.
Upon the objection of one Councillor, no action may be taken on any item not on the
Calendar of the day and shall not be acted upon until the next regular meeting.
Rule 21. All matter of whatever description which require action by the City Council
at its meeting shall be presented to the City Clerk by 3:00 p. m. on the Thursday
preceding the regular meeting. During a week in which a legal holiday falls on a
Friday, said matters shall be presented to the City Clerk by 3:00 p. m. on the
Wednesday preceding the regular meeting. Communications submitted later will be
held over for the next regular meeting, except that where the City Manager believes
that emergency or exigent circumstances require him or her to present to the City
Council a matter which was not presented to the City Clerk by the 3:00 p.m. deadline,
the City Manager may present such matters to the City Council at its meeting in
writing as part of a Supplemental Agenda of the City Manager.
Rule 22. The City Clerk shall prepare the minutes of the previous regular and/or
special meetings and a calendar of all matters to come before the City Council at each
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meeting in accordance with the established order of business and shall deliver
electronically or to the residence of each City Councillor a copy of the same not later
than twenty-four hours prior to said meeting. On all matters on which there has been
a roll-call vote, the minutes shall reflect the votes of the individual members.
Rule 23. The City Clerk is authorized by these rules to order and publish notice of
hearings on petitions presented to him or her regarding public hearings before the
Council.
ORDER OF BUSINESS
Rule 24A.
At every regular meeting of this City Council, except for
roundtable/working meetings, the order of business shall be as follows:
1. Reading of the record, if requested by the City Council.
2. Motions for Reconsideration
3. Manager's Consent Agenda
4. Communications from the City Manager (Manager's non-Consent
Agenda)
5. Unfinished business from preceding meetings
a.
Charter Rights
b.
On the Table
c.
Unfinished Business
6. Consent Applications for permits or petitions which require City
Council approval or referral.
a. Non-Consent applications and petitions.
7. Consent
communications
(petitions,
memorials
and
other
communications from citizens, employees and others, which do not
require action by the City Council.
a. Non-Consent communications.
8. Consent resolutions.
a.
Non-Consent resolutions
9. Consent policy orders and resolutions.
a. Non-Consent policy orders and resolutions
10. Committee Reports
11. Roundtable/working meeting minutes
12. Communications and Reports from City Officers
Requests to the City Manager for information regarding matters
that have previously been referred to him or her and for repair or
replacement of items or attention to or implementation of matters
which do not require City Council action shall not be placed on the
agenda but shall be referred directly to the City Manager by the
member making the request.
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RULE 24B.
Six to twelve meetings per year shall be roundtable/working meetings;
three of which will be with the School Committee. The date for a
particular roundtable/working meeting shall be set by majority vote at a
prior regular business meeting or at a special meeting. At a
roundtable/working meeting, no votes shall be taken except upon a
motion to adjourn. The meeting may be broadcast on cable television.
The Mayor shall determine the agenda for the roundtable/working
meeting in consultation with the City Manager and other members of
the City Council.
RULE 24C.
Public Comment.
1. Regular business meetings
a.
Under the provisions of Chapter 43, Section 98 of the General
Laws, Tercentenary Edition, citizens and employees of the city
shall have reasonable opportunity to be heard at any meeting of
the City Council in regard to any matter considered thereat.
Opportunities for citizens and employees to be heard at all
regular meetings, except for roundtable/working meetings, shall
be provided directly after the reading of the record, if requested
by the City Council (submission of the record of the previous
meeting). Members of the public may comment upon items in
the following categories of business: Motions for reconsideration,
City Manager’s consent agenda, Unfinished business from
preceding meetings, Applications and Petitions requiring
approval or referral by the City Council, Consent resolutions,
Consent Policy orders and resolutions relating to policy analysis
or development, Committee Reports, Roundtable/Working
Meeting Minutes and Communications and Reports from other
City Officers. Each speaker shall limit his or her comments to
no more than three minutes.
b.
Procedure: An individual may sign up to speak before the City
Council via telephone to the City Council office on Mondays
from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or in person from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00
p.m. via a sign up sheet available in the Sullivan Chamber. The
individual must indicate on the sign up sheet which item(s) he or
she is planning to address.
2.
Roundtable/working meetings.
Public comment shall not take place at roundtable/working meetings
of the City Council, where no matter being discussed may be finally
considered, in that no votes may be taken. Written comments will be
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accepted and made part of the record of the roundtable/working
meeting. The opportunity for the public to make oral comments on
items discussed at roundtable/working meetings shall be at the
regular meeting at which the item may be considered for action by
the City Council.
Rule 24D.
Each consent agenda is voted on in its entirety, with no discussion. By
request of a single City Councillor, item(s) may be removed for separate
vote. Upon such request, the item will be moved to the appropriate
section of the agenda. Placement of items on the City Manager's
Consent Agenda shall be determined by the City Manager. Placement
of items on the Communications Consent Agenda shall be at the
discretion of the City Clerk.
Rule 24E.
The City Clerk shall include the written statement of the mission and
goals or priorities of the City Council and the City Manager with the
materials prepared for the agenda of the City Council for its weekly
meeting.
Rule 25. The seats of the members of the City Council shall be determined by the City
Clerk in consultation with the members; no member shall change his seat but by
permission of the Chair.
COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMITTEES
Rule 26. All communications, petitions, or resolutions addressed to the City Council,
which require action by the City Council at its meeting shall be filed with the City
Clerk. The City Clerk shall place all new communications on the agenda for the next
regular City Council meeting. Upon receipt of a communication that is a substantially
unchanged copy of a previously submitted communication, the City Clerk shall not
place the communication on the agenda and shall transmit said communication to the
Mayor. Any communication, petition, or resolution that does not meet the agenda
deadline specified in Rule Twenty-One shall be held over for the subsequent City
Council agenda unless it is of an emergency nature.
Rule 27. The Mayor shall appoint the standing committees of the City Council. The
Mayor shall appoint a chair for each committee and may at his or her discretion
appoint co-chairs for the committees that consist of at least five members. In the
absence of the chair and co-chair of the committee the most senior member in length
of service or if more than one have so served then the member senior in both age and
length of service who is present shall chair. The clerk or his or her designee shall
staff each committee and where deemed appropriate, the chair may request
additional staff help through the City Manager.
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Each committee shall meet regularly to review matters referred to it by the City
Council or to take up other matters within its domain. To the extent possible,
matters of policy shall be referred to the appropriate committee, so that careful
study and consideration can be given to the subject matter. Where appropriate, the
committee shall work with other committees of the City Council to assure the
coordination of related aspects within the purview of those committees. The
committee shall make policy and other recommendations to the City Council as a
whole for discussion, consideration and adoption. The committee may monitor
implementation of City Council policies related to the subject matter within its
purview as authorized by the City Council. If so authorized by the City Council, the
committee may represent policy interests related to its subject matter at committees
of the General Court of Massachusetts.
It is the goal of the City Council to involve citizens actively in the work of city
government through these committees. All committees shall work with community
and neighborhood groups and committees on issues that relate to these groups'
mandates and interests. The committee staff shall keep lists of interested parties
and shall keep citizens informed of the meetings and deliberations of the
committees.
The standing committees of the City Council shall be as follows:
ORDINANCE COMMITTEE – A committee of the whole consisting of the Mayor
and eight City Councillors – the quorum shall be three members.
Purposes
-
To consider the merit of any ordinance presented to the City Council and to
consider the form and legality thereof;
-
To consider all legal matters for which no other provision is made; and
-
To represent general interests of the city before committees of the General
Court when so authorized by a vote of the City Council.
FINANCE COMMITTEE – A committee of the whole consisting of the mayor and
eight City Councillors – the quorum shall be three members.
Purposes
-
To consider all matters relating to the financial interests of the city, including
the city budget, sources of city revenue, appropriations and loans, and city
bonding capacity;
-
To work with the City Manager and other officers of the city for the financial
benefit the city; and
-
To work with citizen groups and committees that might be formed from time
to time to consider the financial health of the city.
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GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, RULES AND CLAIMS COMMITTEE - A
committee of five City Councillors – the quorum shall be two members.
Purposes
-
To consider matters relating to the effective delivery of city services, the
functions and operation of city government and city departments; and to
consider the rules of the City Council and its committees and to recommend
amendments and changes thereto;
-
To consider matters relating to the hiring and evaluation of employees who
report to the City Council;
-
To consider claims that have been filed against the city.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND UNIVERSITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
– A committee of five City Councillors – the quorum shall be two members.
Purposes
-
To consider all issues regarding the relationship between the city,
educational institutions, and other partners within the city, to develop
policies and programs that will enhance economic development in the city
and expand employment opportunities for Cambridge residents;
-
To develop policies that will facilitate the regular and timely exchange of
information between institutions, partners in the community, and the city
administration and City Council, and monitor implementation;
-
To review and evaluate agreements between the city and institutions for
payments made by institutions in lieu of property taxes, develop policies to
ensure that the agreements are fair and equitable, and monitor
implementation;
-
To monitor and improve existing employment programs.
HOUSING COMMITTEE - A committee of five City Councillors – the quorum
shall be two members.
Purposes
-
To develop policies for the maintenance and development of housing, with an
emphasis on the needs of low income and working people;
-
To coordinate with city and other agencies as necessary toward this goal;
-
To monitor implementation.
CIVIC UNITY COMMITTEE - A committee of five City Councillors – the quorum
shall be two members.
Purposes
-
To promote civic unity
-
To consider matters relating to the civil rights, human rights, race and class
relations and other aspects of civic unity in the City of Cambridge;
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-
To work with city and other agencies that deal with these issues;
-
To respond to incidents or concerns that are brought to the attention of the
City Council relating to civil and human rights, race and class relations and
other aspects of civic unity and to bring in the appropriate agencies,
departments or legal services to assist in responding to such incidents; and
-
To develop needed policies and legislation in this area.
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE - A committee of five City
Councillors – the quorum shall be two members.
Purposes
-
To consider and monitor matters relating to the health of the citizens of
Cambridge and to improve city policies relating to health programs;
-
To consider matters relating to the physical environment of the city including
without limitation issues relating to air and water quality, solid and
hazardous waste, visual quality and the environmental impact of
development and the sustainability of our physical environment.
HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE AND VETERANS' COMMITTEE - A
committee of five City Councillors – the quorum shall be two members.
Purposes
-
To develop and support policies assuring a broad human service delivery
system to be provided by the city, other levels of government, and non-profit
and private agencies for children, youth, families, single adults and senior
citizens of all backgrounds;
-
To study policies, overall planning, and the delivery of human services to
Cambridge people;
-
To make recommendations to the City Council to improve the scope and
quality of these services and to locate new sources of funding;
-
To consider all matters affecting veteran services and benefits of the City.
NEIGHBORHOOD AND LONG TERM PLANNING, PUBLIC FACILITIES, ART
AND CELEBRATIONS COMMITTEE - A committee of five City Councillors – the
quorum shall be two members.
Purposes
-
To enhance the quality of life in Cambridge as it relates to the livability of
neighborhoods, public art and art projects, and public celebrations;
-
To consider all matters relating to land use planning, sustainability, open
space, public facilities and public buildings, industrial and commercial
development, especially as they relate to linkage and neighborhood
protection, and other long range planning;
-
To consider matters related to the appearance of squares and neighborhoods
of the city and their upkeep, and public planting.
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PUBLIC SAFETY - A committee of five City Councillors – the quorum shall be two
members.
Purposes
-
To consider all matter affecting the public safety of Cambridge citizens; and
-
To review matters relating to the performance, organization, and
effectiveness of the police and fire departments, the Inspectional Services
Department as it relates to public safety issues, and the Police Review Board.
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMITTEE - A committee of
five City Councillors – the quorum shall be two members.
Purposes
-
To consider and recommend to the City Council policies on matters affecting
transportation, traffic and parking;
-
To monitor transportation proposals and services of all kinds which affect
Cambridge;
-
To develop policies which promote a multi-model and environmentally
friendly traffic and transportation program which will balance the needs of
residents and employees at a minimal cost to the environment.
-
To consider issues relating to utilities and telecommunications, and consumer
protection issues related therein.
Rule 28. Every committee of the City Council to which any subject may be referred
shall report on the subject within a reasonable time from the time of referral. Any
committee report that has not been signed by the chair of the committee within seven
days after submission of the committee report by the City Clerk will be placed on the
City Council agenda unsigned. In the case that the chair of any committee shall fail
for thirty (30) days from the time any subject has been referred to it to call a hearing
of the committee, a quorum of the committee may call a hearing of said committee.
Notice of all committee hearings must be given at least forty-eight (48) hours before the
time of the hearing.
Rule 29. Minutes shall be kept of all committee proceedings. All minutes, reports, and
papers shall be submitted to the City Council by the committee staff person.
Recommendations of each committee shall be made to the City Council for
consideration and adoption.
Rule 30. The Councillor first named thereto shall be the chair of any committee of
which he or she is a member, and in case of his or her resignation or inability to serve,
another member of the committee shall be named by the Mayor.
MEMBERS LOBBY
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Rule 31. No person will be admitted within the rail in the Sullivan Chamber or in
Members' Lobby connected with said chamber at any meeting of the City Council
except upon permission of the chair.
HEARINGS
Rule 32A. Public hearings may be requested for matters of public interest or of
legislative requirement. Public hearings shall not may be held during regular business
meetings of the City Council. The City Council shall refer such requests to a committee
of the City Council. If the City Council deems it advisable, it may direct that the
hearing be televised.
Rule 32B. The time devoted to public hearings shall not be more than two (2) hours at
any one sitting. Any hearing not completed within the specified time may be continued
to another meeting.
Any individual appearing before the City Council at a public hearing and claiming to
represent another as agent or otherwise in the matter of being heard shall file with the
City Council a written authorization signed by the individual, organization or
corporation whose interests such individual represents.
There shall be a five (5) minute time limit for each speaker or, at the discretion of the
chair where because the number of speakers or other circumstances would cause
difficulty in completing the agenda for the hearing for each speaker to express her or
his views on the matter being heard by the City Council. Speakers will be required to
address themselves solely to the issue which is before the City Council for discussion
and shall not engage in personal or rude remarks.
In all hearings before the City Council, the case of the petitioner shall be submitted
first, except in matters affecting acceptance of highways or taking by right of eminent
domain.
Rule 32C. The Housing Committee will hold a public hearing to review the City
Manager’s appointments to the Cambridge Housing Authority prior to the City
Council confirmation on the appointments.
The Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration
Committee, or other suitable committee, will hold a public hearing to review the City
Manager’s appointments to the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority prior to the City
Council confirmation of the appointments.
ORDINANCES AND ORDERS
Rule 33. All by-laws passed by the City Council shall be termed ordinances, and the
enacting style shall be "Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Cambridge."
In all votes by which the City Council expresses anything by order or command the
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form of expression shall by "Ordered," and in all votes by which the City Council
expresses opinions, principles, facts or purposes, the form shall be "Resolved."
Rule 34. The City Clerk shall determine the newspaper of the city in which shall be
published any loan order or any ordinance and said publication shall be made in each
newspaper in regular order, beginning with the oldest publication.
Rule 35. Every ordinance and every order, resolution or vote shall after its passage
remain in the possession of the City Clerk for thirty-six (36) hours after the day of the
meeting for the purpose of giving any Councillor among those whose votes prevailed
an opportunity to file notice of his or her intention to move reconsideration.
AMENDMENT AND SUSPENSION
Rule 36A. Any of the foregoing rules with the exception of Rule 19 may be suspended at
any meeting by a two-thirds yea and nay vote of the entire membership of the City Council,
provided that suspension of the rules to take up an item of business out of order may be
moved only one time per meeting by each member. This limitation does not apply to
motions to suspend the rules to move reconsideration hoping the same does not prevail. No
suspension of the rules shall be required to allow consideration of ceremonial resolutions
(which appear on the agenda as Resolutions) filed after the meeting agenda is closed or
before resolutions are voted on at the meeting. A roll call vote for suspension of the rules to
consider late policy orders shall be required to allow consideration of policy orders at the
end of the regular business meeting, after the regular order of business has been concluded.
Late policy orders will only be considered in an emergency or if action is required before
the next regular meeting.
Rule 36B. No amendments or additions to the rules may be enacted until at least seven
days have elapsed from the date of the submission of the proposed changes or
additions and require a majority vote of the entire membership of the City Council.
ROBERTS' RULES OF ORDER
Rule 37. The City Council shall be governed by "Roberts' Rules of Order" in all
questions of parliamentary practice not provided for by these rules.
RULES OF COURTESY
Rule 38.
1. No one shall delay or interrupt the proceedings, or refuse to obey the orders
of the presiding officer.
2. All persons shall refrain from any private conversation, which would
interfere with the proper conduct of the meeting or hearing.
3. No food or beverages of any kind except water is permitted in the public
section of the Sullivan Chamber.
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4. Poster or placards must remain outside the Sullivan Chamber.
5. People are admitted to the Sullivan Chamber up to the fire safety capacity of
the room which includes the balcony. Overflow crowds may listen to the proceedings
on loud speakers and television provided in the hallway.
6. All persons shall confine their remarks to the question under debate and
avoid personalities. The following will not be tolerated: uttering fighting words,
slander, speeches invasive of the privacy of individuals, unreasonably loud or
repetitive speech, and/or speech so disruptive of City Council proceedings that the
legislative process is substantially interrupted. Any person engaging in behavior that
disrupts the proceedings such that the legislative process is substantially interrupted
will be warned once by the chair that if his or her disruptive behavior continues he or
she will be requested to withdraw from the meeting, and if the behavior continues, the
speaker will be asked to withdraw from the meeting. If the speaker does not withdraw
from the meeting as requested by the chair, the chair may authorize a constable or
other officer to remove the person from the meeting.
7. All rules of decorum and conduct for comment established by these rules
shall be applicable to all individuals attending a meeting or hearing.
8. Every person addressing the City Council shall speak into the microphone
and shall state the person’s name and address in an audible tone of voice for the
record. All remarks shall be addressed to the City Council as a body through the chair,
and not to any individual member thereof.
9. While in the Sullivan Chamber, all persons with cell phones, pagers or other
devices emitting audible signals shall either set the device to a non-audible signal mode
or turn off the device.
RULES OF TRAVEL
Rule 39. The City Council’s travel and incidental expenses thereto shall be
approved by five members of the City Council through the budget process. All
individual expenses will be substantiated by receipts and requests for payments will
be approved by the City Auditor prior to reimbursement. The City Auditor shall be
required to keep copies of Travel Expense Reports for all City Council travel
expenditures reimbursed by the City and make the same available on request to all
interested persons. The City Council may adopt a Travel Policy consistent with this
rule to specify acceptable travel arrangements and limitations on reimbursable
expenses. (RULE 39 AMENDED SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 – TRAVEL POLICY IS
APPENDED TO THE RULES)
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Cambridge City Council
Travel Policy as Amended
ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
1. Introduction
The City Council recognizes the value of travel for purposes clearly related to the
overall improvement of the City and travel for the purpose of assisting the individual
City Councillor in performing his or her official duties. City Council travel should be
as economical as possible.
2. City Council Travel Budget
The City Council will set a total amount for annual travel expenses, based on the
amount it considers reasonable for each member to expend each year for travel
which relates to city business. The Executive Assistant to the City Council shall keep
individual travel budgets for each City Councillor, to which an equal allocation of the
total travel budget shall be made.
1. Travel plans for which the individual City Councillor expects reimbursement up
to the amount budgeted for an individual Councillor do not require pre-approval
by the City Council, except that there will be no reimbursement for travel outside
the continental United States without prior approval of the City Council.
2. A member of the City Council who anticipates utilizing more than the total
annual amount budgeted for his or her travel must request approval from the
City Council for funding for additional travel relating to the member’s duties or
official capacity as a City Councillor. Said request shall be made by submission
of a proposed order for the City Council’s consideration and vote at a regular
business meeting.
3. The Mayor’s travel budget is approved separately, and mayoral expenses are not
included in the City Council travel budget. In all other respects, the travel policy
applies to the entire City Council, including the Mayor.
3. Travel Arrangements
All arrangements for air travel, lodging and rental cars will be made by the
Executive Assistant to the City Council and the Assistant to the Mayor, and not
by individual City Councillors, except in unusual or unforeseen circumstance, or
where the individual City Councillor is able to make a less expensive travel
arrangement. Sound business practices should be followed at all times.
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Councillors should provide as much advance notice of travel requirements as
possible to enable the staff to obtain advantageous rates for airfares, conference
registration and lodging.
Travel arrangements should be made by government or convention rates
whenever possible. Care should be taken to make cost effective arrangements,
such as utilizing super-saver rates. The City will pay only for standard hotel
rooms, standard or “coach” A (no premium or First Class) airfare and midsize
rental cars. The City will not pay for flight insurance. All additional costs caused
by family members or other persons traveling with the City Council member will
be the obligation of the City Councillor.
Economical travel is favored. If by extending travel through Saturday, airfare
savings exceed additional hotel, meals, car rental and other expenses, then such
an extension is allowed.
1. Travel Expense Reimbursement
All payments to City Councillor for their City Council travel expenses shall be by
reimbursement. No expenses will be reimbursed without proper documentation
and an expense report. City Councillors shall utilize the City of Cambridge Travel
Expense Report required by the City Manager for all City Employee travel.
Proper documentation must include itemized receipts, except for the food category
when an alternative reimbursement allowance is requested. The expense report
must clearly state the purpose of the travel. Allowance amounts are as follows:
Transportation: Air or Rail
Standard or economy fare.
Related ground travel: Actual cost of trips between home – airport/train
station, airport/train station – lodging and returns.
Transportation: Personal Automobile
Travel by personal automobile will be reimbursed per mile up to 450 miles
one way at the City’s per mile reimbursement rate in effect at the time of the
trip. The City will also reimburse toll expenses upon production of the
relevant receipts. The City will only reimburse one day’s worth of per diem
expenses for each leg of a trip except in cases of extraordinary and
unforeseen events such as extreme weather that cause an unexpected delay in
travel.
Lodging
Standard single occupancy. If travel is part of a convention, choose either
the convention hotels or alternative hotels with rates within the range of the
convention hotels. If not part of a convention, choose by informal quote
procedure.
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Food
Actual expenses based on detailed and reasonable itemized receipts for each
City Councillor or $100.00 per diem without itemized receipts. The City will
not pay for alcohol. Where bill includes reimbursable food expenses and
non-reimbursable alcohol expenses, the receipt should clearly identify what
portion of the bill is reimbursable.
Ground Transportation
Taxis
Reimbursement will be for actual expenses. Taxi receipts must be properly
completed and signed by the individual City Councillor.
Rental Automobiles
Reimbursement for non-luxury midsize automobiles. Any upgrades must be
paid by the individual City Councillors.
Miscellaneous Business Expenses
This category includes tips, telephone calls, parking, etc. Any individual
expense over $15 must be documented.
The auditor shall reject or adjust any receipts that he or she deems excessive or not
properly documented.
Reimbursement shall not be approved under any circumstances for the following:
Alcoholic Beverages
Tobacco
Laundry & Dry Cleaning
Barber, Hairdresser, Manicure or Bootblack
Entertainment
Newspapers or Magazines
Toiletries
Articles of Apparel
Pay Per View Television
Conference events not related to the business travel