Council Meetings and Legislative Procedure

Regular Meetings #

Council sets its own meeting schedule by ordinance or resolution. ORC 731.46

All meetings of council are public meetings subject to the Ohio Open Meetings Act. ORC 121.22

The mayor presides at all regular meetings of council. When the mayor is absent, the president pro tempore presides.

Special and Emergency Meetings #

A special meeting may be called by the mayor or by any three members of council.

Written notice of the special meeting must be provided to all members of council.

Public notice must comply with the requirements of the Open Meetings Act. ORC 121.22

Emergency meetings are permitted when an immediate threat to public health or safety exists. The same notice requirements apply to the extent practicable.

Quorum and Voting #

A quorum is a majority of all members of council. For a six-member council, the quorum is four. For a five-member council, the quorum is three. ORC 731.44

A number less than a quorum may adjourn from day to day and compel the attendance of absent members.

Voting is by yeas and nays. A majority of members present is required to pass a measure. The mayor votes only to break a tie.

All votes must be taken publicly. Secret ballots are prohibited.

Ordinances and Resolutions #

Ordinances

An ordinance is a formal legislative enactment. It requires three readings on three separate days unless the three-reading rule is suspended. ORC 731.17

Suspension of the three-reading rule requires a three-fourths vote of all members of council.

Emergency ordinances go into immediate effect upon passage. ORC 731.30

The prescribed style is: "Be it ordained by the Council of the Village of [name], State of Ohio." ORC 731.18

Resolutions

A resolution is a less formal action. It is typically used for policy statements, administrative decisions, and other matters that do not require the full ordinance process.

Publication

Ordinances must be published after passage. ORC 731.21-731.25

Publication may be made by newspaper, by posting in public places, or by posting on the village website for a minimum of two weeks. ORC 731.21 as amended

Minutes and Record Keeping #

The clerk or fiscal officer is required to keep a record of all proceedings of council. ORC 731.20, ORC 733.26

Minutes must be "full and accurate." ORC 121.22(C). They need not be verbatim transcripts, but they must capture all motions, votes, actions taken, and roll calls.

Minutes must be prepared promptly, filed with the village records, and made available for public inspection.

All ordinances, resolutions, bylaws, and rules adopted by council must be recorded. ORC 731.20

All village records, including minutes, are public records subject to release under the Ohio Public Records Act. ORC 149.43