The proposed 2026-2027 Rules of the Cambridge City Council

AMENDED IN COUNCIL ON MARCH 25, 2024

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. Open Meeting Law permits remote attendance to count toward a quorum. Councillors are expected to attend in-person at regular City Council meetings unless there is a specific reason requiring them to attend virtually. When attending virtually, Councillors must be clearly audible to each other and to members of the public at all times.

Councillors shall should appear on camera if they are participating remotely unless there is a specific reason they are unable to do so. Councillors shall notify the Mayor or the committee’s chair(s) and the Clerk’s Office ahead of time should they be absent from a regular, special, round table, or committee meeting. Councillors shall notify the Mayor, or the committee’s chair(s) and the Clerk’s Office ahead of time if they will be attending a meeting remotely.

DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE CHAIR

Rule 2. On the first Monday of January, following the regular municipal election, or the following day in instances when that first Monday falls on a legal holiday, the City Council shall by a majority vote of all the members elected, elect a mayor from its own members in accordance with Article 2, Section 2-3 of the City Charter. The Mayorwho shall preside at all meetings of the City Council and perform such other duties as are prescribed in the City Charter. 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 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 has 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 Chair shall state the motion that is before the Council before there can be discussion on Commented [MB1]: Council could consider amending the rule to reference that remote meeting provisions of Open Meeting Law allows for quorum even if Councillors are remote. Could also consider putting in a requirement such as remote Councillors have to appear on camera. Commented [EV2]: Suggest also informing the Clerk’s Office ahead of time so they can prepare for the remote participation in the meeting’s votes and minutes. 2

the motion. The Chair 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 Chair shall declare the results, but no such declaration shall be made unless a quorum of the City Council has voted.

Rule 6. All final votes of the City Council on questions involving the expenditure of fifty dollars ($50) 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 upon the records. On the request of one member any vote shall be by yeas and nays and be entered upon the records.

Commented [EV3R2]: This is derived from MGL c. 43, sec. 71: “All final votes of the city council involving the expenditure of fifty dollars or more shall be by yeas and nays and be entered upon the records. On the request of one member any vote shall be by yeas and nays and be entered upon the records.” Suggest revising to exact language, as there is no reference to questions in the statute’s text. Commented [MB3]: Law Dept will check state law to see if this a statutory requirement. 3

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. 4. 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 City CharterPlan 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 Chair shall place before the body 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. After a motion has been placed before the body by the Chair, the mover may withdraw the motion before amendment or final action without objection.

Rule 9. When a question is under debate the Chair shall receive no motion, except to