An ordinance can be repealed or amended only by a subsequent ordinance. It requires only one reading and may be changed by a subsequent resolution. Municipal ordinances and resolutions are two of the most important tools at the Council's disposal. Members of the Joint Agencies adhere to the principle that all decisions shall be made in the interest of the community as a whole, with no partiality shown to any single area or group. A majority of the legislative body must approve an ordinance or resolution except as otherwise provided by State Law or the Municipal Code.
Motions ordinarily indicate majority approval for a procedural or administrative action.
Motions are typically used for disposition of business items on the agenda. They may request that a report be made at a future Council meeting. The major expression of Council policy commitments is the annual budget. The City Council, through the budget document, determines levels of service for programs provided by the City during the fiscal year and provides an indication of future programs and levels of service. The fiscal year for Ontario is July 1 through June 30.