CITY OF CUMBERLAND
- Regulations for the Government of the City Council –

The following rules and regulations are hereby prescribed for the government of the City Council:

RULE 1 – REGULAR MEETINGS
The City Council shall meet on a regular bi-weekly basis, on such day and at such time as may be prescribed by order of the City Council, unless the same be a public holiday, in which event they shall meet the next day at such time as may be prescribed by order of the City Council; provided, however, that such bi-weekly meeting may, by a majority vote of the City Council, be postponed, when said City Council considers such postponement necessary, to another day at such time as the City Council shall, by order, determine.

RULE 2 – MEETING PLACE
The place of meeting of the City Council shall be in Room 212, Council Chambers, City Hall, and no meetings of said body shall be held elsewhere except by a majority vote of all the members elected.

RULE 3 – CALL TO ORDER
Precisely at the time designated by order, the President of the City Council shall take the chair and call the Council to order.

RULE 4 - ORDER OF BUSINESS
The order of business for regular meetings of the City Council shall be as follows:

I.Roll Call
II.Proclamations
III.Certificates and Awards
IV.City Administrator's Report
V.Director's Report
VI.Approval of Minutes
VII.Public Hearings
VIII.Unfinished Business
IX.New Business
X.Public Comments
XI.Adjournment

RULE 5 – SPECIAL MEETINGS
Special Meetings of the City Council may be held at any time on the call of the President or two members, upon forty-eight hours notice to every member of the Council; provided, however, that the requirement of a notice shall not be binding in any special meeting at which all members of the Council are present, nor where special circumstances so require.

RULE 6 – PRESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL
The Mayor of the City of Cumberland shall act as President of the City Council; he shall preside at all meetings when present and preserve order and decorum; provided, that in the absence of the President, the members present shall elect a president pro tem.  He may designate what other member shall take the chair when he may desire temporarily to relinquish the same. He may speak on all questions before the City Council and shall have the right to vote upon all questions before the Council, except in cases of appeal from his decisions; provided, however, that he shall not have the authority to move or second a matter for consideration or action by the Council.  He shall appoint all committees unless otherwise directed by the City Council.

RULE 7 – MOTIONS / REDUCED TO WRITING
Every motion of proposition shall be reduced to writing on the call of  any members, and a motion made and seconded shall be deemed in possession of the City Council and shall be stated by the President or read by the City Clerk previous to debate, and may be withdrawn at any time previous to a vote being taken.

RULE 8 – DISCUSSION OF PENDING QUESTION
After the previous questions has been seconded and the main questions ordered, the member who has introduced, or the City Administrator who has reported the matter under consideration, shall have one-half hour in which to discuss the proposition pending, at the close of which the vote shall be taken.

RULE 9 – APPROPRIATION OR EXPENDITURE OF MONIES
The passage of all ordinances, resolutions or orders appropriating money shall be by “yeas” and “nays,” and the vote shall be recorded in the journal, and any order, ordinance, resolution or motion for the expenditure of any sum of money in excess of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000.00) shall go to the next meeting before action can be taken thereon, except by unanimous consent, and shall then be taken up under its proper head in the regular order of business.

RULE 10 – ORDINANCES / CHARTER AMENDMENT RESOLUTIONS AND READINGS
Every ordinance and charter amendment resolution shall be read three times by title before a vote is taken upon its passage; and no ordinance or charter amendment resolution shall be amended except upon its second reading, and the second reading can only be dispensed with by unanimous consent. Every ordinance and charter amendment resolution shall be read the first time at the meeting at which it shall be introduced, and shall then lie on the table until the next regular meeting, when it shall be read the second time, and it may then be read the third time and final action taken thereon; provided that by unanimous consent, any ordinance or charter amendment resolution may be passed at the meeting of its first reading. After an ordinance or charter amendment resolution has been read a third time, the only business in order is the call of the role upon its final passage.

RULE 11 – ORDINANCES / AMENDING
It shall be the duty of the City Council, in amending any part of an ordinance previously passed, or of a code or ordinances, to ordain the same as the chapter, section and subsection would read when amended.

RULE 12 – CONSENT AGENDA
Every council order shall be placed on a consent agenda; provided, however, that any member of the Mayor and City Council may request to have an order removed from the consent agenda and voted on separately.

RULE 13 – PROTESTS
It shall be matter of right and privilege to have received and entered in the journal a protest of a member against any action taken by the City Council.

RULE 14 – REPORTS
All reports to the City Council shall be in writing, signed by the individual making the report, and shall specify at the close of the report such action as the individual may recommend as proper for the City Council to take.

RULE 15 – CHARGES
Charges against an officer of the City or member of the city Council shall always be preferred in writing, and such proceedings had thereon as are provided by the City Charter.



RULE 16 – DESTROYING QUORUM
No member shall retire from a meeting of the City Council, or remain away for the purpose of destroying a quorum. Any member violating this rule may be arraigned before the City Council and if found guilty may be fined or expelled in the discretion of the City Council.  Proceedings for the violation of this rule shall be in the manner and form provided by the City Charter.

Rule 17 – PUBLIC COMMENT
Any person desiring to address the Mayor and City Council shall first secure permission from the presiding officer. Upon securing said permission, such person must approach a microphone and state his or her name and address. Remarks must be directed to the matter being considered except during the portion of the agenda for request to be heard.

Each person desiring to address the Mayor and City Council shall be allotted five (5) minute to do so as to each agenda item as well as during requests to be heard. 

RULE 18 – DECORUM
During public meetings of the Mayor and City Council, all persons shall preserve order and decorum. Any person making personal attacks, impertinent, slanderous, offensive or threatening remarks, or becoming boisterous shall be barred from further attendance at the meeting by the presiding officer unless permission for continued attendance is granted by a majority vote of the City Council.

Meetings of the Mayor and City Council shall be conducted in a courteous manner. Members of the public shall be permitted to state their position subject to the time restrictions set forth in Rule 17 and the restrictions set forth in the preceding paragraph.

The Chief of the Cumberland City Police Department shall, upon request of the presiding officer, designate one of the officers of the said Police Department to serve as sergeant-at-arms at the meetings.  Upon the direction of the presiding officer, the sergeant-at-arms shall eject such persons from the meetings who violate these rules and regulations unless such persons continued attendance is permitted by majority vote of the City Council. 

RULE 19 – PRESENTATIONS
Any presentations made to the City Council under Item #9 of the Order of Business (Presentations) shall be made in writing and presented to the City Clerk at least five days before the date of the meeting at which the item presented will be considered.

RULE 20 – VOTING
Each member shall be entitled to one vote, in person.  There shall be no voting by proxy.  A vote may be taken by mail, provided that the question to be voted upon shall be fully set forth on a ballot prepared for that purpose, providing spaces to be filled in or marked so as to record an affirmative or negative vote.  Meetings and vote may be conducted through telephone conference calls, provided that each participant can communicate with all other participants. The minutes of the meetings shall record the vote of each member on each action.  If no member votes against a proposed action, the vote shall be recorded as unanimously in favor; if any one or more members vote “no,” the minutes shall record the names of those voting “yes” and those voting “no.” Any member may voice abstention from the vote for any reason.

RULE 21 – CLOSED MEETINGS
Meetings of the Mayor and City Council shall be open to the public; provided, however, that the Mayor and City Council may meet in closed session or may adjourn an open meeting into a closed session for any of those purposes enumerated in Section 10-508 of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Written minutes shall be kept of all closed meetings held by the Mayor and City Council.  These minutes shall be prepared as soon as practicable under the circumstances and shall be open to public inspection during normal business hours; provided, however, that minutes of a meeting lawfully held in closed session may be open to public inspection except for the reasons provided in Section 10-509 (c) (4) of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. A statement of the time, place and purpose of any closed meeting, the record of the vote of each member by which any meeting was closed, a citation of the statutory authority for closing the meeting, and a listing of the topics of discussion, persons present, and each action taken during the closed meeting, shall be included in the minutes of the next regular meeting of the Council. 

RULE 22 – SUSPENSION OF RULES
The rules of order, other than those prescribed by law, may be suspended at any time by consent of a majority of the members present at any meeting.



RULE 23 – ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER
Except when in conflict with the foregoing provisions, Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the deliberations of the City Council.


Amended Date: January 9, 2007
Mayor and City Council Order No. 24,496

From the U.S Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!
Normal speed limits may be reduced, traffic lanes may be changed, and people may be working on or near the road.

SLOW DOWN!
Speeding is one of the major causes of work zone crashes.

DON'T TAILGATE! KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE CAR AHEAD OF YOU.
The most common crash in a highway work zone is the rear end collision. So, don't tailgate.

KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR VEHICLE AND THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS!
The warning signs are there to help you and other drivers move safely through the work zone. Observe the posted signs until you see the one that says you've left the work zone.

OBEY ROAD CREW FLAGGERS!
The flagger knows what is best for moving traffic safely in the work zone. A flagger has the same authority as a regulatory sign, so you can be cited for disobeying his or her directions.

STAY ALERT AND MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS!
Dedicate your full attention to the roadway and avoid changing radio stations or using cell phones while driving in a work zone.

KEEP UP WITH THE TRAFFIC FLOW.
Motorists can help maintain traffic flow and posted speeds by merging as soon as possible. Don't drive right up to the lane closure and then try barge in.

SCHEDULE ENOUGH TIME TO DRIVE SAFELY AND CHECK RADIO, TV AND WEBSITES FOR TRAFFIC INFORMATION.
Expect delays and leave early so you can reach your destination on time.

BE PATIENT AND STAY CALM.
Work zones aren't there to personally inconvenience you. Remember, the work zone crew members are working to improve the road and make your future drive better.

Please click here to view PowerPoint Presentation outlining recommendations presented to Mayor and City Council on April 13, 2010, for the 2010-2014 Consolidated Five-Year Plan and 2010 Community Development Block Grant Project Recommendations.  

Please click on the pdf files below to open. 

 PUBLIC HEARING - 2012-2013 Action Plan/CDBG Project Request.pdf

  2012 CDBG Annual Action Plan Time Line.pdf

 CDBG Project Request for Funding Checklist.pdf 

National Objectives and CDBG Eligible Activities.pdf

 2010-2014 City of Cumberland Consolidated Plan Statutory Program Goals.pdf

2010 GENERAL ELECTION

November 2, 2010

Following are the UNOFFICIAL results of the General Election held November 2, 2010.  Certification of the Election will be held on November 22, 2010.

MAYOR

COUNCIL

  Click here to download a report of the 2010 General Election Results by precinct.

2010 PRIMARY ELECTION

September 14, 2010

The following are the OFFICIAL results of the Primary Election held September 14, 2010.  

 Click here to download a report of 2010 Primary results by precinct.

The 2013 Comprehensive Plan:

Charting a Bold Vision for Cumberland's Prosperity!

Although the City of Cumberland's 2004 Comprehensive Plan was just updated in 2009, the City has not comprehensively reconsidered its basic planning strategies since 1996, when the foundation for the 2004 plan was originally written.  The City's current long-range planning strategies were actually devised in 1996 and updated in 2004 and 2009.  Maryland Planning Law (Article 66b of the Annotated Code of Maryland) requires that local planning commissions review the Comprehensive Plan at least once every 6 years and, if necessary, revise or amend the plan to address the State's planning goals and the basic requirements of the law (Section 3.05 [b] [2]).  The Cumberland Planning Commission has complied with this law by periodically revising and amending the plan (as was done in 2004 and 2009) and by supplementing the plan with special plans and studies (like the 2008 Cumberland Trails and Bikeways Master Plan).

However, many significant changes have occurred in Cumberland and the broader economy since the original Comprehensive Plan concept was designed in 1996.  Among these changes are the development boom of the first few years of the 21st Century, the severe Economic Recession of 2007-2009, and significant legislative changes to Article 66b in 2006 and 2009 that affected the basic planning requirements for local government Comprehensive Plans.  The City also created a new City Planner position in 2007, which is the first dedicated planning function that the City has established since the early 1990's.  With all of these important changes, the City recognized the need to more comprehensively re-evaluate its planning priorities and identify new strategies to continue and advance the City's future vision.  Consequently, the Mayor and City Council and the Planning Commission determined that a new Comprehensive Plan should be developed, beginning in 2010.  Preparations for this planning effort are already underway.

In determining how to develop the City's next Comprehensive Plan, two important decisions were made.  Now that the City has a dedicated City Planner, the Mayor and City Council decided that this new plan could be coordinated and written using existing staff resources, rather than relying on outside consulting services.  In addition, the Mayor and City Council decided that the plan should be developed in two components--a Neighborhood Element that identifies and addresses critical issues and needs at the neighborhood level, and a City-Wide Element that creates a coordinated development plan for the City that will address the most critical neighborhood needs and satisfy the statutory planning requirements in Article 66b.  While the in-house development of the plan will reduce the cost of the project to the City and its taxpayers, it will require more time to complete without overtaxing those staffing resources.  That is why the plan is proposed to be prepared, reviewed, and adopted over an extended time period beginning in January 2010 and ending in December 2013.  This will provide adequate time for extensive public input at the neighborhood level, the research and writing of two plan documents, and the statutory adoption process required by Maryland Law.

This page has been created on the City's official Web Site to inform citizens about the progress on the plan, to provide basic information about the plan and the timing of public forums, and to provide opportunities for direct interactive input into the planning process.  Citizens and other interested individuals are encouraged to monitor this page frequently and review the information contained within it to take full advantage of your opportunities to be an active participant in the development of the City's next Comprehensive Plan.

If you would like to learn more about Planning and Maryland's Planning laws, please:

     Click here to access an Overview of the Comprehensive Plan & Smart Growth;

     Click here to learn What Is Planning and Why Should I care?

     Click here to learn What Planners Do

If you would like to submit your comments or questions regarding the City's new plan or the planning process, please contact David Umling, City Planner, by dialing 301-759-6503 or you may send an e-mail message to dumling@allconet.org.  You may also contact Mr. Umling by mail at the following addresses:

     Mailing Address:        57 North Liberty Street

                                           Cumberland, MD  21502

Please click here to Return to the City's Main Planning Page

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING PLANNING IN CUMBERLAND!

View recent meetings of the Mayor and City Council here.

City of Cumberland Mayor and Council Meeting - January 3, 2012

December 6, 2011 Mayor and City Council Meeting

November 22, 2011 Mayor and City Council Meeting

November 8, 2011 Mayor and City Council Meeting

Clink on the link to the left to be directed to the project page you wish to view.