[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Gardner as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Article I Meetings
Article II Legal Counsel
[Adopted 1-29-1923 by Ord. No. 2]
Regular meetings of the City Council of the City of Gardner shall be held as follows: the first and third Mondays of January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, and December and on the first Mondays of July and August. Whenever a meeting falls on a legal holiday, the meeting shall be held the following night at the same time. In the event a regular meeting falls on the evening of a state or City primary or election, the meeting shall be held on the following day at the scheduled time.
[Amended 3-1-1926 by Ord. No. 20; 1-15-1940 by Ord. No. 61; 3-15-2010 by Ord. No. 1512; 11-18-2013 by Ord. No. 1563]
All regular meetings shall be called at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber in the City Hall. In the event a public emergency or other condition renders it impracticable for the Council to hold a meeting on the day of a scheduled meeting, or in the City Hall, the Council President, upon consultation with at least two other Councilors, may direct the meeting be held on another day or at such other location that encourages maximum public participation.
[Amended 3-15-2010 by Ord. No. 1512]
All matters of every description to be presented at the regular meeting of the City Council shall be filed with the Clerk of the Council not later than 12:00 noon on Thursday preceding the meeting, and the City Clerk shall prepare a calendar of matters for consideration, a list of papers laying on the table and such other matters as he may deem necessary and shall cause the same to be printed and distributed among the members of the City Council prior to each regular meeting; the Council may by a vote of at least 2/3 of its members admit any matter for consideration at any meeting.
[Added 11-6-1933 by Ord. No. 34; amended 11-18-2013 by Ord. No. 1563]
Special meetings of the City Council may be called by the President and shall be called at any time upon the written request therefor being made to the City Clerk by at least two members of the Council.
At a special meeting of the Council no business shall be taken up which is not mentioned in the call of that meeting; provided, however, that any matter not so mentioned in the call of the meeting may be taken up if at least 2/3 of all the members of the Council vote affirmatively in favor of admitting the matter for consideration at that special meeting and that no such matter shall be finally disposed of at that session except by the affirmative vote of 2/3 of all the members of the Council and then only as provided by Section 28 of the City Charter.
[Added 11-6-1933 by Ord. No. 34]
[Adopted 5-21-2018 by Ord. No. 1612]
The City Council shall have the authority to retain independent legal counsel of its own selection from time to time by majority vote, and legal counsel shall be a member of the Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in good standing.
Legal counsel shall assist the City Council in the preparation and formulation of legislation and in the rendering of opinions concerning legal matters, either of a substantive or procedural nature, the provisions of § 140-2 of the Code of the City of Gardner notwithstanding.
Any invoice or charge for payment from said legal counsel shall be paid from the City Council budget.