A. Council Meetings. The Council generally shall hold meetings in the Takoma Park Community Center and Sam Abbott Citizens’ Center unless the Council shall for any meeting prescribe a different place. Except during periods of recess, the Council shall generally meet twice each month.
B. Special Sessions and Public Hearings. In addition to the Council meetings specified in subsection (A) of this section, the Council may at any time hold special sessions or public hearings. Unless otherwise determined by the Council, these meetings shall be held in the Takoma Park Community Center and Sam Abbott Citizens’ Center.
C. Work sessions. In addition to the meetings specified in subsections (A) and (B) of this section, the Council shall hold work sessions at which Councilmembers shall discuss City business but may not adopt ordinances or resolutions. Unless otherwise determined by the Council, work sessions are held twice each month in the Takoma Park Community Center. At its discretion, the Council may hold additional work sessions in any month. Work sessions are open to the public, except when closed in accordance with State law.
D. Written minutes of all Council meetings and work sessions shall be prepared in accordance with the Maryland Open Meetings Act. (Ord. 2006-1, 2006/Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

A. A written agenda for each Council meeting and work session shall generally be made available to the public no later than noon on the day of the meeting, unless the meeting is a special session called on an emergency basis. In that case, an agenda shall be available to the public as soon as possible. The agenda shall list the items to be considered at that meeting, briefly describe each item and, for Council meetings, state what action, if any, the Council plans to take on that agenda item.
B. Items not on the written agenda of a Council meeting or work session are considered when a majority of the Councilmembers present determine that circumstances require timely consideration of that item. In such cases, the Mayor shall announce the additional item at the beginning of the meeting or work session.
C. Council meetings include a public comment period, during which citizens may address the Council concerning issues not on the agenda for that meeting.
D. At each Council meeting, citizens also shall be given an opportunity to address the Council concerning items on the agenda.
E. The Council may adopt rules of procedure governing the conduct of Councilmembers and citizens at Council meetings and work sessions. (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

A. The following procedure shall be followed:
1. A citizen’s request to place an item on the agenda shall be in writing and shall clearly state the issue.
2. Upon receipt of the citizen’s written request, the Mayor shall determine whether the item is one for further Council consideration or a matter which can be responded to in a follow-up letter, by a directive for action to staff or by an administrative report at a future Council meeting.
B. If the matter does not lend itself to a clear resolution via the procedures delineated in Subsection (A)(2) of this Section, the Council, at its next work session, shall determine whether or not the matter should be placed on the Council agenda. The decision of the Council shall be communicated to the citizen making the request. (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

A. Ordinances generally amend, affect or repeal City law, whether an ordinance is codified or not.
B. Resolutions. There are 2 types of resolutions: simple resolutions and substantive resolutions.
1. Simple resolutions are not law, but are merely expressions of the opinion of the Council. Simple resolutions are used, for example, to establish or make appointments to various City commissions and task forces, to set forth positions of support or opposition of the City government on a particular subject, to accept reports of various committees, to express congratulations or condolences or other matters of a nonsubstantive or personal import.
2. Substantive resolutions have the force and effect of law. Substantive resolutions are used, for example, to amend the Charter. (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

A. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, ordinances shall be read at 2 meetings of the Council prior to adoption.
1. The first reading of an ordinance introduces the ordinance to Councilmembers for study and consideration and provides an opportunity for citizen input.
2. At the second reading, the Council may adopt an ordinance with or without amendment.
B. The following classes of ordinances may be adopted after one reading at a meeting of the Council:
1. Ordinances dealing with appropriations of funds from the adopted fiscal year budget, or approved community development block grant program.
2. Ordinances that are necessary to meet a public emergency affecting the public health, safety and welfare.
a. Emergency ordinances must include a section of legislative findings describing the claimed emergency in clear and specific terms and declaring that the ordinance is necessary for the immediate protection of public health, safety or welfare.
b. Emergency ordinances are effective immediately after adoption.
C. Resolutions require one reading at a meeting of the Council prior to adoption.
D. The affirmative vote of a majority of Councilmembers present at a meeting shall be required for adoption of an ordinance or resolution. (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

A. Preparation of Fiscal Notes.
1. Except as provided in Subsections (4) and (5) of this Section, the City Manager or his or her designee, with the assistance of appropriate department heads, shall prepare or cause to be prepared a fiscal note for each ordinance.
2. The City Manager or his or her designee shall submit a fiscal note for an ordinance to the Council prior to the first reading of the ordinance.
3. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a fiscal note may be prepared and submitted to the Council prior to the second reading of an ordinance if the Mayor certifies that prompt Council action on an ordinance is necessary.
4. Unless an ordinance provides for expenditures in excess of the budgeted amount, a fiscal note is not necessary for an ordinance providing for expenditures specifically authorized in the current fiscal year budget ordinance or resolution or in an ordinance or resolution revising that budget.
5. A fiscal note is not necessary for emergency ordinances as defined in Section 2.04.050(B)(2).
B. Contents of Fiscal Notes.
1. A fiscal note for an ordinance shall contain an estimate of the fiscal impact of the ordinance on the revenues and expenditures of the City government:
a. During the year in which the ordinance is to become effective and the next year after, as applicable; or
b. If the full fiscal impact of an ordinance is not expected to occur during those years, the first year during which that impact is expected to occur.
2. A fiscal note shall identify the sources of information used in preparing the estimate of fiscal impact.
C. Copies.
1. The City Manager or his or her designee shall keep a copy of each fiscal note for 3 years after preparation of the note.
2. Copies of fiscal notes are available for public inspection.
D. The validity of an ordinance is not affected by the presence, absence or content of a fiscal note. (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

Any rule of procedure may be temporarily waived by a majority vote of the Councilmembers present, but any permanent amendment to a rule must be by ordinance or resolution, as appropriate. (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

Robert’s Rules of Order is the recognized authority as to any matter of procedure not covered by this Chapter or by rules adopted by the Council pursuant to Section 2.04.020(E). (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

The Mayor, at his or her sole discretion, may make ceremonial proclamations that shall be read into the record during Council meetings. Proclamations shall not have any substantive effect or fiscal impact. (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

A. The Mayor shall receive an annual salary of $8,000.00, payable biweekly. Effective for the members of the Council who take office following the November 2007 election, the Mayor shall receive an annual salary of $13,000.00.
B. Each Councilmember shall receive an annual salary of $6,000.00, payable biweekly. Effective for the members of the Council who take office following the November 2007 election, each Councilmember shall receive an annual salary of $10,000.00. (Ord. 2007-42, 2007: Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)

A. Council Compensation Committee. The Council shall appoint a committee of City residents, every 4 years beginning with calendar year 2007, to serve as the Council Compensation Committee. The Committee shall review the salaries of the Mayor and Councilmembers and make recommendations to the Council whether or not such salaries should be changed.
B. Principles of Compensation. The Council Compensation Committee shall apply the following principles to guide its recommendations:
1. The positions of Mayor and Councilmember are part-time and should be treated that way;
2. Full monetary compensation for the Mayor and Councilmembers is not appropriate;
3. It is appropriate to monetarily compensate the Mayor and Councilmembers to some extent for their work;
4. Monetary compensation creates an obligation for the Mayor and Councilmembers to perform their jobs;
5. Monetary compensation provides status to the Mayor and Councilmembers;
6. The Mayor’s salary should be greater than that of Councilmembers; and
7. Compensation for the Mayor and Councilmembers should be comparable to Maryland municipalities of similar size and complexity.
C. Effective Date of Council Salary Adjustment. Any change in the salary paid to the Mayor and Councilmembers is adopted prior to the next municipal election and takes effect only as to the next succeeding Mayor and Councilmembers as prescribed in Sections 302(c) and 304(c) of the Municipal Charter. (Ord. 2004-3 (part), 2004)