RULES AND ORDERS

OF THE

BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

SECTION 1. The mayor, and in his absence the chairman of the board, shall take the chair at the hour to which the board shall have adjourned, and shall call the members to order, and, a quorum being present, shall cause the minutes of the preceding regular meeting to be read; and, in the absence of the mayor and chairman, the senior member present shall preside as chairman pro tempore.

SECT. 2. He shall preserve decorum and order; may speak to points of order in preference to other members, and shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the board, by motion regularly seconded; and no other business shall be in order till the question on the appeal shall have been decided.

SECT. 3. He shall declare all votes; but, if any member rises to doubt a vote, he shall cause a return of the members voting in the affirmative and in the negative, without debate on the question.

SECT. 4. He may read sitting; but shall rise to state a motion, or put a question to the board.

SECT. 5. When the mayor shall desire to vacate the chair, he shall call the chairman of the board to take it, and, in his absence, the senior member present. When the chairman of the board or the chairman pro tempore shall desire to vacate the chair, he may call any member to it, but such substitution shall not continue beyond an adjournment.

SECT. 6. On all questions and motions whatsoever, the chair shall take the sense of the board by yeas and nays, provided any member shall so require. And every ordinance, resolution or order (except orders of notice, papers from the common council, orders of inquiry, and orders relating to the department of health), after being read, shall be laid on the table before its consideration by the board; and no such ordinance, resolution or order (except as above) shall be considered at the same meeting at which it is offered, except by special vote.

SECT. 7. The chair shall propound all questions in the order in which they are moved, unless the subsequent motion shall be previous in its nature, except that in the naming sums and fixing times the largest sum and longest time shall be put first.

SECT. 8. After a motion is stated or read by the chair, it shall be deemed to be in possession of the board, and shall be disposed of by vote; but the mover may withdraw it at any time before a decision or amendment.

SECT. 9. When a question is under debate, the chair shall receive no motion but to adjourn, to lay on the table, to postpone to a day certain, to com

mit, to amend, or to postpone indefinitely; which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they stand arranged; and a motion to strike out the enacting clause of an ordinance shall be equivalent to a motion to postpone indefinitely.

SECT. 10. The chair shall consider a motion to adjourn as always in order, except on an immediate repetition; and that motion, and the motion to lay on the table or to take up from the table, shall be decided without debate.

SECT. 11. When a vote has passed, it shall be in order for any member to move a reconsideration thereof, at the same or the succeeding regular meeting, but not afterward; and, when a motion for reconsideration is decided, that vote shall not be reconsidered.

SECT. 12. Every member when about to speak shall rise, and respectfully address the chair; shall confine himself to the question under debate, and avoid personalities.

SECT. 13. No member speaking shall be interrupted by another, but by rising to a call to order, or for explanation.

SECT. 14. No member shall be permitted to vote, or serve on any committee, on any question where his private right is immediately concerned, distinct from the public interest.

SECT. 15. Every member who shall be present when a question is put where he is not excluded by interest shall give his vote, unless the board for special reasons shall excuse him. Application to be

so excused on any question must be made before the board is divided, or before the calling of the yeas and nays; and such application shall be accompanied by a brief statement of the reasons, and shall be decided without debate.

SECT. 16. Every motion shall be reduced to writing, if the chair shall so direct.

SECT. 17. Any member may require the division of a question, when the sense will admit of it. A motion to strike out and insert shall be deemed indivisible; but a motion to strike out being lost shall not preclude amendment, or a motion to strike out and insert.

SECT. 18. No motion or proposition of a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.

SECT. 19. Motions and reports may be committed or recommitted at the pleasure of the board.

SECT. 20. When a vote is doubted, the members for and against the question, when called on by the chair, shall arise, and stand till they are counted.

SECT. 21. All questions relating to priority of business to be acted upon shall be decided without debate.

SECT. 22. When a motion is made to refer any subject, and different committees are proposed, the question shall be taken in the following order:

1. To a standing committee of the board.

2. To a select committee of the board.

3. To a joint standing committee.

4. To a joint select committee.

SECT. 23. The following standing committees of the board, to consist of three members each, and the members of the joint standing committees on the part of this board (named in the joint rules and orders of the city council), shall be appointed by

the mayor.

Committees on Armories and military affairs — Assessors' department Bridges Cemeteries Common and public squares - County accounts Faneuil hall (to be composed of the committee on public buildings on the part of this board) - Fire department-Ferries - Health -Lamps, bells and clocks Laying out and widening streets - Licenses - Jail - Market, and weights and measures - Paving and repairs of streets - Police - Sewers and drains- Steam engines and furnaces. All other committees, unless otherwise provided for, or specially directed by the board, shall be appointed by the chair.

SECT. 24. At every regular meeting of the board, the order of business shall be as follows:

1. Communications from his Honor the Mayor. 2. Presentation of petitions, memorials and remonstrances.

3. Papers from the common council.

4. Reports of city officers.

5. Reports of committees.

6. Motions, orders and resolutions.

And the above order of business shall not be departed from, but by the votes of a majority of the members of the board present.