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City Council Rule Changes
1
City of Cambridge
PROVISIONALLY ADOPTED
JANUARY 1, 2024
RULES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
2024-2025
These rules, after adoption by the City Council, shall be published and made available to the public.
The rules of the City Council should be reviewed and provisionally adopted towards the beginning
of every new City Council term.
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 of the first Council meeting following
Inauguration and election as chair 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. 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 ChairMayor shall state the motion that is before the Council before there can be
discussion on the motion. The ChairMayor shall and then 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 Chair 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 they so request
at the time of the communication, or before final action by the committee.
Rule 8. The Cchair shall place before the body 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 placed before the body first
first put. After a motion has been placed before the body put by the chair, the mover may withdraw
the motion before amendment or final action without objection it shall not be withdrawn except by
unanimous consent.
Rule 9. When a question is under debate the chair shall receive no motion, except
tobut
To Adjourn.
To Lay on the Table.
To Postpone to a certain day. For the Previous
Question. End debate, move, or call the 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 to end debatefor 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 101. When two or more members ask to be recognized at once, the C chair shall name the
member who is entitled to the floor.
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RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS
Rule 112. Every member, when about to speak shall respectfully address the Cchair, and
wait to be recognized. The member shall confine their remarks to the question under debate.
During debate each Councillor will state their comments clearly and concisely with the
understanding that other members are waiting to present their comments.
Rule 123. 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 134. No member shall vote on any question, or serve on any committee, where their
private interest is immediately concerned distinct from that of the public. The City
Council shall by ordinance establish and implement a code of ethics for its members and
for all city employees. All City employees, including all elected and appointed officials,
are subject to the Massachusetts Conflict of Interest Law.
Rule 145. When a question is put, every member present shall vote yes, no, or present and
their vote shall be accepted by the chair and so recorded. A member that is recusing
themselves from voting shall announce that they are recusing themselves prior to any
discussion or deliberation of the matter and shall state the reason for recusal (a conflict of
interest or to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest). A member that has recused
themselves shall not participate in the discussion while the matter is being deliberated and
if present shall leave the Council Chamber or if participating remotely shall turn off their
microphone and video during discussion and deliberation on the matter. Their recusal shall
be accepted by the chair and so recorded.
Rule 156. 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 Councillor among those whose votes
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 PRESENTATIONS AND REGULAR MEETINGS
Rule 167. Special Events Presentations.
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.
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Rule 178. Regular Meetings.
All regular meetings of the City Council shall be held in the Sullivan Chamber, City Hall, Virtual,
hybrid with virtual access and access in the Sullivan Chamber or, if agreed to by a majority of
the City Council, at any other suitable public building as determined by the Chair within the City
of Cambridge, at 5:30 p.m. on Monday of each week, 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 189. 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 their 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, unless the Mayor, in consultation with the City Manager and City Solicitor,
determines an emergency exists and there is a need to call a meeting with less than forty-
eight hours’ notice. If necessary, the mayor may call one or more special meetings during
July and August to conduct the council's business.
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Rule 1920. 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.) At the next
regular meeting, Aany 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. The provisions of this Rule, as well as
M.G.L. c.43, §22, do not apply to the submission to the City Council of a proposed
zoning ordinance, which, pursuant to M.G.L. c.40A, §5, the City Council shall within
fourteen days of receipt of such zoning ordinance submit to the Planning Board for
review.
Rule 2021. All matters of whatever description, except Applications and Petitions, which
require action by the City Council at its meeting shall be presented to the City Clerk by
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12:00 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 12:00 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 the City Manager to present to the City
Council a matter which was not presented to the City Clerk by the 12:00 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 20A. For a Policy Order or Resolution to be filed and placed on the council agenda it must
have two Councillors sponsoring it. This rule does not apply to ceremonial resolutions.
Rule 20B. Applications and Petitions which require action by the City Council at its meeting
shall be presented to the City Clerk by 3:00 p. m. on the Wednesday 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 Tuesday preceding the regular meeting.
Applications and Petitions submitted later will be held over for the next regular meeting.
Rule 20C. In the event of City Hall closure the City Clerk, after consultation with the City
Manager, may change the deadlines accordingly for when matters must be presented to the
City Clerk for inclusion on the agenda.
Rule 2122. 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 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 shallreflect the votes of the
individual members. The City Clerk shall include with the minutes of
the meeting any Communications from the public that were received at the meeting during
Public Comment.
Rule 2223. The City Clerk is authorized by these rules to order and publish notice of
hearings on petitions presented to the City Clerk regarding public hearings before the
Council.
ORDER OF
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BUSINESS
Rule 234A. At every regular meeting of this City Council, except for
roundtable/working meetings, the order of business shall be as follows:
1. Public Comment.
2. Reading of the record, if requested by the City Council.
3. Motions for Reconsideration.
4. Manager's Consent Agenda.
5. Communications from the City Manager (Manager's non-Consent
Agenda)
610. Consent policy orders and resolutions.
a. Non-Consent policy orders and resolutions.
76. Unfinished business from preceding
meetings.
a. Charter Rights
b. On the Table
c. Unfinished Business
87. Consent Applications for permits or petitions which require City
Council approval or referral.
a. Non-Consent applications and petitions.
98. Consent
communications
(petitions,
memorials
and
other
communications from individuals, employees, and others, which do not
require action by the City Council).
a. Non-Consent communications.
109. Consent resolutions.
a. Non-Consent resolutions.
10. Consent policy orders and resolutions.
a. Non-Consent policy orders and resolutions.
11. Committee Reports.
12. Roundtable/working meeting minutes.
13. Communications and Reports from Other City Officers.
14. Announcements.
15. Adjournment.
•
Rule 23B. Requests to the City Manager for information regarding matters that
have previously been referred to the City Manager 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.
RULE 234CB. At least six, no more than twelve meetings per year may 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 roundtable/working meeting shall be broadcast on cable television and
live streamed. The Mayor shall determine the agenda for the roundtable/working meeting in
consultation with the City Manager and other members of the City Council.
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RULE 234DC. Public Comment.
1. Regular business and Special M meetings
a.
Under the provisions of Chapter 43, Section 98 of the General Laws,
Tercentenary Edition, individuals and employees of the city shall
have reasonable opportunity to be heard at regular and special any
meetings of the City Council in regard to any matter considered
thereat. Opportunities for individuals and employees of the City to
be heard at all regular and special meetings, except for
roundtable/working meetings, shall be provided directly after before
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, Communications and
Reports from Other City Officers. Each speaker shall limit their
comments to no more than three minutes. In the event there are 20
or more speakers signed up, the amount of time allocated would
be two minutes. Individuals are not permitted to allocate the
remainder of their time to other speakers. Each speaker shall
limit their comments to no more than three minutes. In the
event there are 20 or more speakers signed up for public
comment, the amount of time allocated would be two
minutes. If there are more than 75 or more speakers,
the amount of time allocated would be one minute.
Individuals are not permitted to allocate the remainder
of their time to other speakers.
b. Procedure: An individual may signup to speak before the City Council
on-line via the City’s website from 9:00 a.m. on the Friday before the
meeting until 6:00 p.m. the day of the meeting or via telephone to the City
Council office on the day of the meeting from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
On the day of the meeting, between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., a computer
terminal will be available to the public in the City Council Office for on-line
signup until 6:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. There will be in-person.
assistance for those who need help signing up. The individual should indicate
on the signup sheet their name, address, and which item(s) they are planning
to address. Individuals will be heard in the order that they signed up whether
they are participating in person or remotely.
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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 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 or special meeting at which the item may be
considered for action by the City Council.
Rule 234DE. 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 234EF. 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 245. The seats of the members of the City Council shall be determined by the Assistant to
the City CouncilCity Clerk in consultation with the members; no member shall change their seat
but by permission of the Chair.
COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMITTEES
Rule 256. 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 267. The Mayor shall appoint the standing committees of the City Council. The
Mayor shall appoint a chair for each committee and may 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 has so
served then the member senior in both age and length of service who is present shall chair.
The City Clerk or their designee shall staff each committee and where deemed appropriate,
the chair may request additional staff help through the City Manager.
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
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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
Massac
husetts.
It is the goal of the City Council to involve individuals 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
individuals 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 five 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 five 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 groups and committees that might be formed from time to time to
consider the financial health of the city.
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, RULES, AND CLAIMS COMMITTEE - A
committee of five City Councillors – the quorum shall be three members.
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Purpose
• 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 three members.
Purposes
• To consider all issues regarding the relationship between the city, educational
institutions, employers, business associations, and other partners within the city, to
develop policies and programs that will enhance economic development, tax
revenue and expand career and employment opportunities for Cambridge residents;
• To develop policies that will facilitate the regular and timely exchange of
information between educational institutions, employers, business organizations,
and other partners in the community, and the city administration and City Council,
and monitor implementation of agreed on policies and programs;
• To review and evaluate agreements between the city and institutions for payments
made by institutions in lieu of property taxes (PILOT), develop policies to ensure
that the agreements are fair and equitable, and monitor implementation;
• To monitor and improve existing employment, diversity of opportunity, career, and
workforce development programs.
HOUSING COMMITTEE - A committee of five City Councillors – the
quorum shall be three members.
Purposes
• To develop policies for the maintenance and development of housing, with an
emphasis on affordable housing;
• 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 three 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;
• 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
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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;
• This committee shall strive to work towards promulgating policies, practices, and
procedures that promote Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity throughout our
community.
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE - A committee of five City
Councillors –
the quorum shall be three members.
Purposes
• To consider and monitor matters relating to the health of the people 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, climate change, 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 three 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 seniors 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,
ARTS, AND CELEBRATIONS COMMITTEE - A committee of five City
Councillors – the quorum shall be three 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
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the city
and their upkeep, and public planting.
PUBLIC SAFETY - A committee of five City Councillors – the quorum shall
be three members.
Purposes
• To consider all matters affecting the public safety of Cambridge;
and
• To review matters relating to the performance, organization, and effectiveness
of the police and fire departments, Public Works Department, 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 three 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 278. 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 289. Minutes shall be kept of all committee proceedings. All minutes, reports,
and papers shall be submitted to the City Council by the City Clerk or their designee.
Recommendations of each committee shall be made to the City Council for
consideration and adoption.
Rule 2930. The Councillor first named thereto shall be the chair of any committee of which
they are a member, and in case of their resignation or inability to serve, another member of
the committee shall be named by the Mayor.
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MEMBERS LOBBY
Rule 301. 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 312A. Public hearings may be requested for matters of public interest or of
legislative requirement. Public hearings 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 312B. 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 three (3) to 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 their
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.
For matters where a public hearing is not required by law, the chair shall determine
if there will be public comment and when it will occur. For matters where a public
hearing is not required by law, and the chair has called for public comment,
Each speaker shall limit their comments to no more than three minutes. In
the event there are 20 or more speakers signed up for public comment, the
amount of time allocated would be two minutes. If there are more than 75
or more speakers, the amount of time allocated would be one minute.
Individuals are not permitted to allocate the remainder of their time to
other speakers. Speakers shallwill be required to address themselves solely to the
issue(s) which is before the City Council for discussion.
For matters where a public hearing is required by law, including but not limited to
amendments to the City’s Zoning Ordinance, amendments to the City’s Municipal
Code, annual determinations of the percentages of local tax levy for real and personal
property pursuant to G.L. c. 40, § 56, and hearings related to the submission and
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approval of the City’s annual budget pursuant to G.L. c. 44, §32,
Each speaker shall limit their comments to no more than three minutes. In the
event there are 20 or more speakers signed up for public comment, the
amount of time allocated would be two minutes. If there are more than 75 or
more speakers, the amount of time allocated would be one minute.
Individuals are not permitted to allocate the remainder of their time to other
speakers. as much time as possible for the public to be heard. Individuals are not
permitted to allocate the remainder of their time allotted to them to other speakers.
Speakers shall be required to address themselves solely to the issue(s) before the
City Council for discussion.
In all hearingsall 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 312C. 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 Celebrations 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.
Rule 312D. Rules for Public Comment should be posted in a visible and prominent place
both in
person and online for the benefit of those wishing to participate in Public Comment.
ORDINANCES AND
ORDERS
Rule 323. 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 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 334. The City Clerk shall determine the newspaper of the city in which shall be
published any loan order or any ordinance. and said publication. DELETE: shall be
made in each newspaper in regular order, beginning with the oldest publication.
Rule 345. 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 their intention to move reconsideration.
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AMENDMENT AND
SUSPENSION
Rule 356A. Any of the foregoing rules with the exception of Rule 20 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 shall only be
considered in an emergency or if action is required before the next regular meeting.
There shall be a roll call vote for suspension of the rules to consider late items. Items will be
taken up at the end of the regular business meeting, after
the regular order of business has been concluded. A late item should only be considered if it
cannot wait until the next regular meeting.
Rule 356B. 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 367. 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 378.
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.
4. Signs, posters and placards must remain outside the Sullivan Chamber.
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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
loudspeakers and television provided in the hallway.
6. All persons shall confine their remarks to the question under debate. The following will
not be tolerated: profanity, uttering fighting words, slander, unreasonably loud or
repetitive speech, and/or speech so disruptive of City Council proceedings that the legislative
process is substantially interrupted.
7. 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 their disruptive
behavior continues, they 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.
87. All rules of decorum and conduct for comment established by these rules shall be
applicable to all individuals attending a meeting or hearing.
98. Every person addressing the City Council should speak into the microphone and
should 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.
109. 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 389. 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 389 AMENDED
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 – TRAVEL POLICY IS APPENDED TO THE RULES)
Cambridge City Council
Travel Policy as
Amended ADOPTED
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
AMENDED JANUARY
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29, 2018
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.
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.
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
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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.
4. 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. Short-term rental, internet and access fees are allowable.
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.
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Ground Transportation
Taxis and Ride Hail Services
Reimbursement will be for actual expenses. Taxi and ride hail service 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 they deem 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
RULES RELATED TO HOME RULE PETITIONS
Rule 3940.1. That Home Rule Petitions are sent to the entire Cambridge delegation.
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Commented [PT1]: Note - we have not made any
changes to this rule but it is suggested that as a practice
moving forward, any councillors bringing forward a Policy
Order to request a th filing of a Home Rule petition shall
identify in the policy order the specific state legislator that
they have been working with on the issue and who will be
responsible for filing at the State House.