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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING JUNE 9, 1992 3 <br />above. When the chair has called the meeting to order, <br />after finding that a quorum is present, etc.. that is when a <br />quorum is present. <br />Call of the house. In legislative bodies or other <br />assemblies that have legal power to compel the attendance of <br />their members and if you recall I read from 412.191 sub 2, <br />the second to the last sentence of that paragraph. The <br />council may preserve order at its meetings and compel the <br />attendance of members and punish nonattendance. The Call of <br />the House is a motion that unexcused absent members be <br />brought to the meeting under arrest. The Call of the House <br />is not applicable in voluntary societies. Assemblies in <br />which there may be occasion to order a call of the house <br />should adopt a rule that 1/3, 1/5 or some other number less <br />than a majority of the members or house elect are present. <br />When a quorum is not present this motion should take <br />precedent over everything except a motion to adjourn. The <br />rules allow the call to be moved while a quorum is actually <br />present for the purpose of attaining a greater attendance. <br />The motion at such time should rank only with question of <br />privilege. When a call of the house is ordered, clerk calls <br />the roll of the members then calls again the names of the <br />absentees in whose behalf explanations of absence can be <br />made and excuses can be requested. After this, no member is <br />permitted to leave, the doors are locked and sargent of <br />arms, chief of police or other arresting officers ordered to <br />take into custody absentees who have not been excused from <br />attendance in bringing them before the house. He does this <br />on a warrant signed by the presiding officer and attested by <br />the clerk. When arrested members are brought in, they are <br />arraigned separately. Their explanations are heard and on <br />motion can be excused with or without penalty in the form of <br />a payment of fee. Until a member has paid such a fee <br />assessed against him, he cannot vote or be recognized by the <br />chair for any purpose. After a call of the house has been <br />heard no motion is in order even by a unanimous consent. <br />Sue Dunn: Dave, wasn't there just a council meeting last <br />Tuesday. This is a special meeting. What is the subject of <br />this meeting? Do you have an agenda there? <br />Dave: That should have been posted by our clerk. We are in <br />session. This is a meeting in session. I won't entertain <br />any questions from the audience. <br />Those present then are myself, Dave Johnson, Councilman <br />Jess Mottaz. We have available to us four options. We can <br />adjourn to a specific time. we can adjourn period, we can <br />recess at which recess we would call the members who are <br />absent and ask for their reason or I can entertain a motion <br />for call of the house and have them arrested and brought to <br />the council meeting. <br />