Public Comment at Board Meetings Policy

Public Comment at Board Meetings Policy

The Ritzville Library District #2 Library Board encourages input from the public.  The purpose of this policy is to ensure that interested parties representing various points of view are allowed time to present those viewpoints while permitting the Board to conduct its meetings in an efficient and effective manner.

Rules and Procedures

Agenda: There is an official agenda for each Board meeting that determines the order and content of business conducted at that meeting.  Requests by members of the public to place an item of business on the agenda must be made to the Board Chair at least one week prior to a regular meeting and may be included on the agenda at the discretion of the Board Chair.

Public Comment: The Board will provide an opportunity for public comment at each of its regular meetings by including a public comment agenda item.  The Board Chair or the presiding officer will ask if anyone wishes to address the Board and will determine the order in which speakers will be recognized.  When deemed to be appropriate, the Board Chair or presiding officer ay also grant a request to address the Board during other portions of the meeting.

Presentation of Comments:  Each speaker will provide his/her name, address, and group affiliation, if any.  The Board Chair or presiding officer has the discretion to determine the length of time and the number of times a person may speak.  Comments should be brief and to the point.  Unless additional time is granted by the Chair or presiding officer, each person will have three minutes to speak.  Members of the public will not be allowed to speak a second time until all members of the audience who wish to speak have had the opportunity to do so.  The Board Chair may also deny the opportunity to speak to a person who has previously addressed the Board on the same subject within the past two months.  Speakers are expected to display proper decorum at all times.  Those who fail to do so may be prohibited from making further comments or removed from the meeting for misconduct.

Petitions or Written Correspondence:  Any petitions or written correspondence to the Board shall be presented to them at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.

Board Response

Action:  As a general rule, the Board will not respond to public comments at the time they are made.  The Board may comment, take action, or not take action with respect to a public comment at a future Board meeting, as it deems appropriate.

Exceptions:  The Board reserves the right to waive this policy and these procedures when necessary to conduct Board meetings effectively.

Adopted: 1/25/12