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307 Rule 18. Debate. The chair shall state the motion and then open the floor to debate, presiding over the debate according to these general principles: (1) The member making the motion or introducing the ordinance, resolution, or order is entitled to speak first. (2) A member who has not spoken on the issue shall be recognized before someone who has already spoken. (3) To the extent possible, the debate shall alternate between opponents and proponents of the measure. Rule 19. Procedural Motions. (a) In addition to substantive proposals, the procedural motions listed in subsection (b) of this rule, and no others, shall be in order. Unless otherwise noted, each motion is debatable, may be amended, and requires a majority vote for adoption. comment: This rule substantially departs from RRO. Each procedural motion in RRO was reviewed to determine whether it as appropriate for use by a small board; substantial modifications and deletions were the result. The following enumeration of procedural motions is exhaustive; if a procedural option is not listed, it is not available. (b) In order of priority (if applicable), the procedural motions are: Comments: While a substantive motion is out of order if another substantive motion is pending, several procedural motions can be entertained in succession without necessarily disposing of the immediately pending one. The order of the list below establishes which procedural motion yields to which--for example, a move to defer consideration (6) may be made while a move to refer to committee (9) is pending because (6) ranks higher on the list. 1. TO Adjourn. The motion may be made only at the conclusion of action on a pending matter; it may not interrupt deliberation of a pending matter. Comment: This motion differs from the RRO motion in several respects. In RRO, it is not debatable or amendable and can be made at any time, even interrupting substantive deliberations. In view of the small number of members and the available procedures to limit debate, this rule allows debate and amendment of the motion to adjourn but allows this motion only when action on a pending matter is over. The motion to defer consideration or to postpone to a certain time and day may be used if the board wants to adjourn before completing action on a matter. 2. TO Take a Recess. comment: RRO does not allow debate on this motion, but since the number of members is small and procedures to limit debate are available, this rules allows debate on the motion. As in RRO, the motion is in order at any time. Note that under Rule 12, the chair also has the power to call a brief recess. 3. TO Call to Follow the Agenda. The motion must be made at the first reasonable opportunity or it is waived. comment: This motion differs from the call for the orders of the day in RRO: it may be debated and must be made when an item of business deviating from the agenda is proposed, or the right to insist on following the agenda is waived for that item. 4. TO Suspend the Rules. The motion requires a simple majority vote. Comment: This motion differs from RRO except in that it is debatable and amendable, and the number of necessary votes depends on the number of members in attendance providing that there is at least a quorum. Thus if there are five members present, at least three members must vote for the motion; if only three members are at a particular meeting, at least two must vote for the motion in order to adopt it. It is in order when the board wishes to something it may legally do but cannot without violating its own rules. The procedure will pose some problems for a three-member board, as manipulating the rule to prevent one member from participating in deliberations is possible. Frequent use of the motion to prevent one member from presenting proposals or from speaking on an issue is of doubtful legality. A three-member board may decide to require a unanimous vote to suspend the rules. 5. TO Divide a Complex Motion and Consider It by Paragraph. Comment: This motion is like the division of a question and consideration by paragraph in RRO except that it is debatable. 6. To Defer Consideration. A substantive motion whose consideration has been deferred expires one hundred (100) days thereafter, unless a motion to revive consideration is adopted- comment: This motion, which replaces the motion to lay on the table in RRO, was renamed to avoid confusion. It allows the board temporarily to defer consideration of a proposal. It differs from RRO in that it may be debated and amended, and in that a deferred motion dies if not taken up by the board (via a motion to revive consideration) within one hundred (100) days of the vote deferring consideration (in RRO a motion laid on the table dies at the end of that particular session of the assembly). One hundred (100) days is the suggested time for deferring consideration because it is also the time within which a proposed ordinance must be enacted (see Rule 26). 7. TO Call the Previous Question. The motion is not in order until every member has had one opportunity to speak. comment: This motion differs from the one in RRO. The RRO motion is always in order, is not debatable or amendable, and requires a two-thirds vote for adoption. Thus, it may compel an immediate vote on a proposal without any debate on the issue. Such a device may be necessary to preserve efficiency in a large assembly, but with a small board, a minimum period of debate on every proposal strikes a better balance between efficiency and effective representation by all members.