(1) Presentation of Ordinances. All proposed or amended ordinances shall be presented at a regular meeting of the council, and read aloud by the clerk-treasurer or town attorney.

(2) Readings of Ordinances – General. Ordinances shall be read aloud for three readings, at successive regular meetings of the council, except as otherwise provided herein. The council may, at its discretion, combine the second and third and final reading into one reading.

(3) Readings of Ordinances – Franchises. Ordinances pertaining to franchises shall be read aloud for two readings at two successive regular meetings of the council. As permitted by law, the council may, at its discretion, conduct the second, third and final readings at a special meeting to be held not less than five days after the first reading at the regular meeting.

(4) Readings of Ordinances – Budget Ordinance Amendments. The council may, at its discretion, amend the town’s annual adopted budget ordinance to appropriate changes in anticipated revenues, expenditures, or to reallocate expenditures between funds in one reading at a regular meeting of the council. Appropriations funded by new or additional debt, fees, or taxes shall be subject to three readings pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

(5) Passage of Ordinances. All ordinances shall be passed by a majority of the members of the council. Passed ordinances shall be reviewed as to form by the town attorney, attested to by the clerk-treasurer, and approved by the mayor. Ordinances, including the ordinance codified in this chapter, so adopted shall take full force and effect five days from the date of passage, posting, and publication as provided herein.

(6) Posting and Publication of Ordinances. The clerk-treasurer shall immediately publish adopted ordinances in one issue of the Wahkiakum County Eagle or in a subsequent publication designated as the town’s official newspaper. The clerk-treasurer may alternatively post adopted ordinances in three public places in the town if circumstances prevent timely publication in the newspaper. The clerk-treasurer shall retain an affidavit of publication executed by the newspaper’s owner, publisher, editor, or printer, which shall be sufficient evidence of the publication of all town ordinances. The clerk-treasurer is authorized to submit all adopted ordinances to the state’s officially recognized codification and printing service. (Ord. 501 § 2, 2008)