(a) Getting the Floor. Every council member desiring to speak shall first address the chair, gain recognition by the presiding officer, and shall confine himself to the question under debate, avoiding personalities and indecorous language.
(b) Questions to Staff. Every council member desiring to question the city staff shall, after recognition by the presiding officer, address his questions to the city manager or the city attorney, who shall either answer the inquiry himself or designate a member of his staff for that purpose.
(c) Interruptions. A council member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless called to order by the presiding officer, unless a point of order or personal privilege is raised by another council member, or unless the speaker chooses to yield to a question by another council member. If a council member, while speaking, is called to order, he or she shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined and, if determined to be in order, he or she may proceed. Members of the city staff, after recognition by the presiding officer, shall hold the floor until completion of their remarks or until recognition is withdrawn by the presiding officer.
(d) Points of Order. The presiding officer shall determine all points of order subject to the right of any council member to appeal to the council. If an appeal is taken, the question shall be, “Shall the decision of the presiding officer be sustained?” A majority vote conclusively determines the question of order.
(e) Point of Personal Privilege. The right of a council member to address the council on a question of personal privilege is limited to cases in which his integrity, character or motives are questioned or where the welfare of the council is concerned. A council member raising a point of personal privilege may interrupt another council member who has the floor only if the presiding officer recognizes the privilege.
(f) Privilege of Closing Debate. The council member moving the adoption of an ordinance, resolution or motion shall have the privilege of closing debate.
(g) Limitation of Debate. No council member shall be allowed to speak more than once upon a particular subject until every other council member desiring to do so has spoken. (Ord. No. 935, § 2 (part); Ord. No. 1317, § 2 (part).)