Rules of Procedure-Military and Veterans Affairs Commission

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       MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION
      CITY OF CHANDLER, ARIZONA
RULES OF PROCEDURE
ARTICLE I
AUTHORITY
The Military & Veterans Affairs Commission has been established 
pursuant to Ordinance No. 4991, Section 2.22 of Chapter 2 of the 
Chandler City Code.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE, FUNCTION, AND DUTIES
Section 1
Purpose – The Chandler City Council is committed to 
honoring the service and sacrifice of Chandler’s military, veterans, their 
families, and the organizations that serve them.  The Chandler City 
Council recognizes the opportunity to provide a forum for collaboration 
and partnership to further support the military and veteran community.  
Section 2
Function – The Military and Veterans Affairs Commission 
shall serve as an Advisory Commission to the Chandler City Council.  
Section 3
Duties – The Commission shall have the following duties:
A. To advise the Mayor and Council concerning military and veterans 
related issues including the quality and effectiveness of veteran’s 
services in Chandler; and
B. Educate the military and veteran community on available resources 
and support; and
C. Collaborate and coordinate activities with military and veteran’s 
associations, commissions, and relevant government agencies; and
D. Consider ways to acknowledge and honor the services and 
dedication of current military service personnel, veterans, and their
family members; and
E. Such other functions and duties as may from time to time be 
approved by the City Council.
ARTICLE III
ORGANIZATION
Section 1
Section 3
Officers and Staff - The Military and 
Veterans Affairs Commission shall elect its own officers at the first 
meeting of each year in January.  No officer elected to the Commission 
shall serve in the same capacity for more than two consecutive one-year 
terms.

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
Page 2
A.
Officers - The Commission shall elect a Chairperson (“Chair”) and 
Vice-Chairperson (“Vice-Chair”) at the first meeting each calendar year.
I.
The Chair shall preside at all meetings and hearings of the 
Commission and perform any duties required by law, ordinance, or 
these bylaws.
II.
The Chair shall have the right to vote on all matters before the 
Commission and shall also have the right to make or second 
motions in the absence of a motion, or a second, made by a 
member.
III.
The Vice Chair shall act as Chair in the Chair’s absence.  In the 
absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, the Commission will select 
an Acting Chair to that meeting by a majority vote of the members 
present.
IV.
In the event the Chair cannot complete the full term in that 
position, the Vice-Chair shall assume the duties of Chair.  
V.
Should the Vice-Chair be unable to complete the full term in that 
position, another Commissioner will be elected
by the 
Commissioners at the meeting immediately following notice of the 
Vice-Chair’s inability to complete the term.
VI.
Chandler City Code Section 2-6 provides for forfeiture of office in 
certain scenarios including three consecutive unexcused absences 
from the Commission.
B.
Staff – The Community Services Director (“Director”), or the Director’s 
designee, shall serve as staff liaison.
A Secretary to the Commission 
(“Secretary”) will be assigned by the Director.    
ARTICLE IV
MEETINGS
Section 1
Regular Meetings
A. Regular meetings shall be held monthly or as determined by the 
Commission.  The Commission will meet at least four times each 
year. The Commission generally meets on the second Tuesday of 
each month at 5:00 p.m., excluding legal City holidays.  If the 
Commission determines that the regular meeting is too close to a 
holiday, such meeting shall either be canceled or rescheduled by 
motion or majority vote of the Commission.
I. Cancellation – If there are no action agenda items to be heard, 
a Regular Meeting may be cancelled by the Chair, Vice-Chair
acting in the Chair’s capacity, or Staff Liaison.  
II. Location – Regular meetings of the Commission shall be held 
at the City Council Chambers Conference room, unless noticed 
or advertised differently.

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
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B. Regular meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public 
and the minutes of its proceedings, showing the votes on each issue 
and records of its examination and other official actions, shall be
filed in the City Clerk’s office as a public record. For any matter 
under consideration, any person may submit written comments and 
if attending in person, may speak to the issue upon being 
recognized by the Chair and stating his or her name and address 
and the names of any persons on whose behalf they are appearing.
C. The Commission may, by a single consent motion, approve any 
number of actions where the Commission, Staff, and applicant are 
in agreement and where, after call and invitation by the Chair to do 
so.  Should any member of the Commission so request, the 
Commission shall then withdraw it from the consent agenda for the 
purpose of public discussion and separate action.
Section 2
Special Meetings
A. Special meetings for any purpose may be held on the call of the
Chair or request of two or more members, all at least twenty-four 
(24) hours before the meeting. At least twenty-four (24) hours 
notice shall be given to the general public by posting such notice in 
conformance with Chandler City Code and Arizona state law. 
B.
Special meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public 
and the minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each 
member and records of its examination and other official actions,
shall be filed in the City Clerk’s office as a public record.  For any 
matter under consideration, any person may submit written 
comments and if attending in person, may speak to the issue upon 
being recognized by the Chair and stating his or her name and
address and the names of any persons on whose behalf they are 
appearing.
C. The Commission may, by a single consent motion, approve any 
number of actions where the Commission, Staff, and applicant are 
in agreement and where, after call and invitation by the Chair to do 
so, no member of the Commission wishes to address any particular 
item designated for consent action by the Commission.  Should 
any member of the Commission so request, the Commission shall 
then withdraw it from the consent agenda for the purpose of public 
discussion and separate action.

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
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Section 3
Study Sessions
A. Study sessions for any purpose may be held on the call of the Chair or 
request of two or more members, or by Staff giving notice to all the 
members by phone or email, or by verbal comment during a regular 
meeting, all at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting.  At least 
twenty-four (24) hours notice shall be given to the general public in 
conformance with Chandler City Code and Arizona state law. The call and 
notice shall specify the time and place of the study session, and an agenda 
of the business to be transacted.
B. Study sessions may be held before or after any regular meeting, subject to 
providing notice as provided herein.  When a matter is set for a study 
session, public testimony may be barred or limited to particular persons at 
the discretion of the Chair.
Section 4
Field Trips – The Commission may take field trips for purposes 
relevant to a public hearing or other matter under consideration.  All Commission 
field trips shall be taken as a part of a regular or special meeting, and all interested
persons shall be afforded the opportunity to be present to hear any reports or 
comments.  Notice of all field trips must be provided in advance as an agenda
item for the meeting during which the field trip will take place.  A record of the 
field trip shall be entered into the minutes, so that the record shall indicate that the 
field trip was taken into consideration as evidence.  Nothing herin shall prevent 
less than a quorum of the Commission, or commission members individually at 
their own convenience and expense, from taking field trips, which are related to 
an action or other matter being considered.
Section 5
Quorum - A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute 
a quorum for transacting business at any regular meeting.  No action shall be taken at any 
regular meeting in the absence of a quorum, except to adjourn the meeting to a 
subsequent date.  At a study session, any number of Commission members may hold 
discussion on agenda items.
Section 6
Agenda
A. Preparation - An agenda shall be prepared by the Secretary for each 
regular meeting, study session, and special meeting of the Commission.  
The agenda shall include the various matters of business as scheduled for 
consideration by the Commission.
B. Agenda Items – All items for action and discussion shall be submitted to 
the Secretary with documentation eight (8) calendar days in advance of the 
meeting, to be considered for action on an agenda.

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
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C. Withdrawal of Request - An item may be withdrawn by the Chair. Any 
item that has already appeared on a posted agenda may only be removed 
by publication of an amended agenda indicating that the item has been 
removed from the agenda.
ARTICLE V
ORDERS OF BUSINESS
Section 1
Parliamentary Procedure
A. The Chair shall call the Commission to order, and the Secretary shall
record the members present and absent.  The Chair may
call 
each 
matter of business in the order filed and shall announce the name of the 
action.  Supporting evidence for and against each matter shall be presented
to the Commission.
B. The Chair shall conduct meetings under Robert’s Rules of Order unless 
such rules are suspended by majority vote of the Commission.  The Chair 
shall direct questions to any person speaking, to bring out all relevant 
facts, circumstances, and conditions affecting the matter being considered, 
and then call for questions from other members of the Commission and 
from City Staff.
Section 2
Voting
A. The affirmative vote of the majority of commissioners present shall be 
required for passage of any matter before the Commission.  When a 
motion in favor of any action or other matter fails to receive an affirmative 
majority vote, i.e., a tie vote, it shall be entered into the minutes as a vote
to deny the action being considered.  In the event that there is no motion, 
or the motion dies for lack of a second, it shall be entered into the minutes 
as a denial of the action being considered. Nothing herein shall prevent 
any member from making a subsequent motion on any matter where a 
prior motion is not approved by a majority vote of all members present.
B. A commissioner shall recuse himself or herself and abstain from voting 
whenever he or she has, or may have, a conflict of interest in the action 
under consideration, as described and provided by the Arizona Revised 
Statutes (ARS 38-501, et. seq.) and the Chandler Code (Sec. 2-4, and 
successors).
C. Each commissioner attending shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each 
motion.  The minutes of the proceedings shall indicate the vote of every 
matter acted upon and shall indicate any absence or failure to vote.  No 
commissioner shall be excused from voting except when that

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
Page 6
commissioner has recused himself or herself, or on matters involving the 
consideration of his or her own official conduct.
D. A motion to adopt or approve staff recommendations or simply to approve 
the action under consideration shall, unless
otherwise particularly 
specified, be deemed to include adoption of all proposed findings and 
execution of all actions recommended in the staff report on file in the 
matter.
Section 3
Recommendation to City Council - The Commission shall forward a 
recommendation to City Council of its findings and/or action(s) in writing with respect to 
the merits of the action within thirty (30) days of the conclusion of the meeting where the 
action was discussed.
ARTICLE VI
OFFICIAL RECORDS
Section 1
Retention of Files - The official records of the Commission shall include 
these rules of procedure and minutes of meetings, which shall be deposited with the City 
Clerk’s Office, and which shall be available to public inspection during customary office 
hours.
Section 2
Recording of Meetings - All public meetings of the Commission may be 
recorded by electronic device.  Any person desiring to have a meeting recorded by an 
electronic device or by a stenographic reporter, at his or her own expense, may do so, 
provided that he or she consults the Commission’s secretary to arrange facilities for such 
recording prior to the commencement of the meeting, or does not otherwise disrupt the 
proceedings.
ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENTS
These rules of procedure may be amended by majority vote at any meeting of the 
Commission provided that notice of said proposed amendment is given to each member 
in writing at least five (5) days prior to said meeting, and provided that public notice of 
the proposed amendment has appeared on a posted agenda. Such amendment shall 
become effective at the next regular meeting of the Commission.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________
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City Attorney
     Date