Saginaw Michigan Charter Chapter 4

Regular Meetings

            Section 18. The council shall meet at the official council chamber at seven-thirty (7:30) p.m., on the Monday next following each regular city election at which session newly elected councilmen shall assume the duties of this office. Regular meetings shall be held at least once every two (2) weeks.

MCLA 15.625 Must be posted within 10 days after first meeting in each fiscal or calender year.

Special Meetings

            Section 19. Special meetings shall be called by the city clerk on the written request of the mayor or manager or any three (3) councilmen on at least six (6) hours’ written notice to each councilman served personally or left at his usual place of residence; but any special meeting shall be a legal meeting for all purposes without such notice if all councilmen are present thereat or have waived notice thereof in writing.

Notice must be posted 18 hours prior MCLA 15.265

Quorum

            Section 20. A majority of the councilmen shall be a quorum for the transaction of business. The council may, by a majority vote of those present, compel the attendance of its members and other officers of the city at its meetings and enforce orderly conduct therein. No councilman shall vote on any question in which he has any financial interest other than the common public interest; but on all other questions every councilman present shall vote. On all votes which are not unanimous, the yea or nay vote of each member shall be recorded by roll call, but where the vote is unanimous, it shall not be necessary to so state.

Rules

            Section 21. The council shall determine its own rules, and shall keep a journal of its proceedings in the English language which shall be signed by the city clerk. All regular and special meetings of the council shall be open to the public.   A summary of the council proceedings at each meeting shall be prepared by the city clerk and published in the official newspaper.

Ordinances

            Section 22. Legislation shall be by ordinance. Each ordinance shall be identified by a number and a short title. The style of all ordinances shall be “The City of Saginaw Ordains.” The effective date of an ordinance shall be prescribed therein. At least two (2) weeks shall elapse between the introduction and enactment of an ordinance; enactment shall require the affirmative vote of not less than five (5) councilmen and the effective date shall not be earlier than ten (10) days after enactment; except that ordinances immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety may be enacted on the date of introduction and given immediate effect by the affirmative vote of not less than six (6) councilmen. No ordinance shall be amended by reference to its title only, but the section or sections amended shall be enacted in full. An ordinance may be repealed by reference to its number and title only.

Ordinance Record

            Section 23. All ordinances and the dates of introduction and enactment and the vote thereon shall be recorded by the city clerk in a book to be called “The Ordinance Book,” and it shall be the duty of the mayor and the city clerk to authenticate such record by their official signatures. Except as otherwise provided by this charter, all ordinances when enacted shall be forthwith published by the city clerk, and he shall enter his certificate as to the manner and date of publication under each ordinance in the ordinance book; provided that, if codes (e.g., building regulations) be enacted by ordinance, publication may be had by printing not less than one hundred (100) copies in booklet form to be available for public distribution without cost on application.

Compilation and Revision

            Section 24. The council shall, by resolution, order a general revision and compilation of ordinances within two (2) years from the date this charter is adopted by the electors and every ten (10) years thereafter. Such revision and compilation, when completed, shall be adopted by appropriate ordinance which shall also designate when such revised and compiled ordinances shall become effective. Such revised and compiled ordinances need not be recorded in the “The Ordinance Book” or the council proceedings. The printing and binding of not less than one hundred (100) copies in book form, available for public distribution at cost, shall be deemed sufficient publication.