Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
SUBSTITUTE - Creating Section 2.27 of the Madison General Ordinances to Establish Rules for Common Council Action on Reports.
Body
DRAFTER'S ANALYSIS: Council members often debate the type of action to take when a report, without accompanying legislative proposals, is received. This ordinance establishes rules for action on such reports, here named "Solitary Reports." This ordinance requires that such Solitary Reports be either adopted or placed on file. Adoption is defined to be the Council's agreement with the Report. In order to carry into effect any recommendations in a report, the Council must adopt a separate resolution or ordinance, with the accompanying fiscal note and appropriation, if needed.
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The Common Council of the City of Madison do hereby ordain as follows:
Section 2.27 entitled "Council Action on Solitary Reports" of the Madison General Ordinances is created to read as follows:
"2.27 COUNCIL ACTION ON SOLITARY REPORTS.
(1) As used in this section, a "Solitary Report" is a report presented to the Common Council that is not accompanied by a related request for legislative action, such as an ordinance, resolution, appropriation, claim, license, permit or other similar legislative action. A report that is accompanied only by a resolution adopting one of the actions set forth in subs (3)-(4) below is a Solitary Report.
(2) When the Council receives a Solitary Report, the Council shall either adopt or place on file the report.
(3) If the Council adopts the Solitary Report, such action means that the Council agrees with the report. Any misnomer of a motion by the use of words such as "accept," "receive" or "agree to" will be considered adoption of the report.
(4) If the Council does not adopt the Solitary Report, the report shall be placed on file.
(5) Recommendations contained in a Solitary Report require a separate resolution or ordinance to carry the recommendations into effect, with an accompanying fiscal note or appropriation or both, if needed."