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
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.  
A. Officers - The Commission shall elect a Chairperson (“Chair”) and Vice-Chairperson 
(“Vice-Chair”) at the first meeting.
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.

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
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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.
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-

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
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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 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.
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.

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
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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.
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 commissioner has recused himself or herself, or on matters involving 
the consideration of his or her own official conduct, or such matters as referred to in 
Section III. B. (2) of these bylaws.

MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS RULES OF PROCEDURE
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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