ORDINANCE NO. 2024-O-07
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.06(g) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/2.06(g)), the Village has the authority to establish rules and regulations for public participation at public meetings; and
WHEREAS, the Village President and the Board of Trustees finds it in the public interest to amend the Village Code to create rules and regulations governing public participation at public meetings in the Village of Beach Park.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the President and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Beach Park, Lake County, State of Illinois:
SECTION A:
Chapter 2.04 of the Village of Beach Park’s Municipal Code, “Rules of Order and Procedure of the Corporate Authorities,” is amended by adding Section 2.04.351 “Public Comment a Village Board Meetings” and Section 2.04.352 “Public Comment at other Village Public Bodies’ Meetings” which shall read in their entirety as follows:
2.04.351: Public comment at Village Board Meetings.
A. Members of the general public may address the village board with concerns or comments regarding issues that are relevant to village business.
Issues relevant to village business are defined to mean information about village events; issues that the public body has the authority to address; items listed on the agenda; and items or issues previously voted on by the village board or that the village board has the authority to consider or vote on in the future.
Campaigning for public office is not considered relevant to village business and shall not be allowed during public comment at village board meetings. The Village President or his/her designee shall strictly restrain comments to matters that are relevant to village business and shall not permit repetitive comments or arguments.
B. A person addressing the village board shall be allotted five minutes to present their comments unless the Village President designates a longer time period for that meeting which designation must occur prior to the commencement of public comment and must be applicable to all persons making comments at that public meeting.
C. Public comment is not intended to be a forum for open dialogue or engagement. The village board is under no obligation to respond to any public comment, or engage with any speaker, during the public meeting. The Village President or his/her designee may, in his/her sole discretion, direct the Village Administrator or other village staff to respond to questions or issues raised in a public comment at an appropriate time after the public meeting.
D. Unless the meeting is a remote meeting in accordance with the provisions of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, any person desiring to make a public comment must do so in person at the location at which the public meeting is taking place. Written comments may be submitted to the village board, but written comments will not be read aloud during public comment.
E. All members of the public addressing the village board shall, at all times, maintain proper decorum in accordance with the provisions of these procedures. All speakers should be respectful of the board and the audience members and should be courteous, polite and civil.
F. No speaker may engage in conduct or speech that is imminently threatening to any person, which incites violence, or that is obscene.
G. No Speaker may engage in conduct that is disorderly and that disrupts or interferes with the ability of the village board to conduct the public meeting.
H. All public comments shall be addressed to the board as a whole and no comments shall be addressed to individual members of the board, village staff or other members of the public.
I. There shall be no board debate on any matters raised during public comment unless the matter is placed on a future agenda.
J. Any person that the Village President determines is violating any of these rules may be required to terminate their comment and vacate the podium or be subject to other action as deemed necessary by the Village President. The Village President may require that person to leave the premises of the meeting.
2.04.352: Public comment at other Village Public Bodies’ Meetings
A. Members of the general public may address all village committees, commissions, boards, and any and all other subsidiary boards established by the village board or Village Municipal Code (e.g. plan commission) with concerns or comments regarding issues relevant to that specific board, committee or commission's agenda or topics that the specific board, committee, or commission has the authority, pursuant to the Village Code, to address. Public comment before any subsidiary bodies shall comply with those rules set forth in Section 2.04.351.
B. The chairperson or his /her designee shall strictly restrain comments to matters that are relevant to the board's, committee's, or commission's business and shall not permit repetitious comments or arguments. Members of the general public who wish to address the board, committee, or commission shall be allotted five minutes to present their points.
SECTION B:
This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval in the manner provided by law.
SECTION C:
Those chapters, sections or subsections of Chapter 2.04 not expressly amended or repealed by this Ordinance are hereby re-enacted and it is expressly declared to be the intention of this Ordinance not to repeal or amend any portions of the Beach Park Municipal Code other than as expressly set out in Section A of this Ordinance.
SECTION D:
If any section, clause or provision of this Ordinance, or any application thereof to any person, property or circumstance, shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceable provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable.
SECTION E
Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval in the manner provided by law.
Passed this ______ day of _________ , 2024.
Ayes: Nays: Absent/Abstain:
Richard Gust X ______ ______
Don Jensen X ______ ______
Regina Miller X ______ ______
Linda Sittig X ______ ______
Larry Wells X__ ______ ______
APPROVED:
By: ________________________________Date:_________
John Hucker, Mayor
ATTEST:
By: ______________________________________
MARY JO MCDONALD, Village Clerk