§ 5.

(a)

The city council shall hold regular meetings at such times as may be fixed by ordinance, and may be specially convened at any time by the mayor and shall be convened by him/her or upon the written request of three council members within a reasonable time after the they receive such request.

(b)

The city council may determine its rules of proceeding in conformity to the general principles of parliamentary law, may punish members for disorderly behavior, and, after notice and hearing, may, by a two-thirds vote of all council members, expel a member for due cause. A quorum shall consist of eleven council members. At the request of any council member, the vote upon any question shall be taken by roll call vote.

(c)

Whenever a regular or special meeting has been called, and no quorum is present, those present may, by vote, request the mayor or presiding officer, and said mayor or presiding officer shall, upon request, issue a warrant signed by him/her, directed to the sheriff of Fairfield County, the sheriff's deputy or any sheriff of the city of Bridgeport, to arrest and bring into such meeting the absent council members so as to make a quorum; and at any such meeting those present shall have the power to make any orders to compel the attendance of council members and to summon all necessary assistance.

(d)

No vote shall be taken upon any ordinance, resolution or other measure in the city council until the same shall have been referred to and reported upon by an appropriate committee. A matter may be considered without being referred to a committee if the city council determines, by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, that an emergency exists which requires immediate action on the matter.

(e)

The presiding officers of the city council and of the several committees of the city council, shall have the power to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses before the respective bodies over which they preside, by the issue of subpoenas and the administration of oaths in the manner and according to the rules governing the same in courts of justice, and when it shall be necessary to secure the attendance of witnesses before said boards or committees, the respective chairman shall have the right to apply to the proper authority for the issue of a capias ad testificandum for that purpose, as provided in number 461 of the special acts of 1907.

(f)

(1)

No member of the city council shall take any official action, or attempt to influence the official action of another person, with respect to any vote, resolution, or matter whatever in which he/she has a direct or special pecuniary interest or where his property will be directly or especially affected thereby.

(2)

Any member of the city council who, while holding office, shall directly or indirectly, take or bargain for any fee, compensation or reward to influence his vote or action upon any matter pending in the city council, shall be expelled from the city council.

(g)

(1)

No member of the city council shall, during the time in which he/she serves as a member of the city council, be appointed to or hold any office, the emoluments of which are to be paid from the city treasury.

(2)

No person while holding office as a member of the city council shall be a member of any of the boards of the city, and no member of the city council shall be appointed to an office by any of such boards for which compensation is to be paid.