RULE 6 - COMMITTEES  


Latest version.
  • The City Council shall provide for the establishment of standing committees to which all business shall be referred for study and recommendation before action is taken by the City Council. The President of the City Council shall appoint all members of standing committees.

    1.

    There shall be a committee on Budget and Finance to which shall be referred every measure which would involve an expenditure of City funds.

    2.

    A committee on ordinances and inter-governmental relations to which shall be referred every measure which in the form of adoption is categorized "an ordinance" or the effect of which is more than of temporary significance; and furthermore, every measure which involves another unit of government and the city.

    3.

    A committee on personnel and administration to which shall be referred all personnel measures within the purview of the City Council and all measures the effect of which would be to alter the administrative structure of City government.

    4.

    There shall be a committee on housing to which shall be referred every measure concerning the housing of the citizens of Lawrence.

    5.

    The Council President shall be an "ex-officio" member of all standing and special committees of the City Council as established pursuant to the Rules of the Lawrence City Council. As an "ex-officio" member, the Council President shall possess all authority and privileges of any member of any and all standing and special committee members, including, without limitation, the right to deliberate and vote on any item before said standing and special committee for consideration and further subject to the following limitations:

    (a)

    The Council President shall not serve as the "chair" of any standing or special committee at any time;

    (b)

    Upon the presence and/or appearance of any duly appointed fourth member of the standing or special committee at any time during any meeting of said standing or special committee where the Council President is also present and attending, the Council President shall no longer possess the authority and privilege of membership of the standing or special committee member, including, without limitation, the right to deliberate and vote on any item before said standing and special committee for consideration;

    (c)

    The authority and privilege of membership provided to the Council President by this Rule of the City Council shall be fully reinstated upon the absence of any duly appointed fourth member of the standing or special committee which shall include, without limitation, the right to deliberate and vote on any item before said standing and special committee for consideration;

    (d)

    The provisions of Rule 6 shall not apply to the Committee of the Whole at any time and the Council President shall be a member of any and all Committees of the Whole in accord with the provisions of all other effective Rules of the City Council;

    (e)

    The provisions of Rule 6 shall not apply to any standing committee, special committee upon the vote of two-thirds of the members of the Lawrence City Council as it may deem necessary;

(Doc. 52/2015, appr./eff. 6-2-15)