The following rules shall control audience comments, it being the desire of the Commissioners to hear from the citizens of Burkburnett and to stimulate discussion of subjects which are properly a concern of the Commissioners.
(A) Mayor to State Rules for Audience Comments. Immediately preceding the opening of audience comments, the Mayor shall summarize briefly the rules governing comments from the audience.
(B) Mayor Shall Recognize Interested Citizens. Each person desiring to comment must first be recognized by the Mayor and shall first give his or her name and address. The Mayor shall recognize each person in turn, hearing from all who desire to comment.
(C) Time Limit. A time limit of five minutes under Personal/Audience Comments and three minutes under Audience Comments on Agenda Items shall govern each comment unless the limit is waived by a majority vote of the City Commissioners.
(D) Termination of Audience Comments. Audience comments may be concluded by the Mayor, or if appealed, by a vote of four members of the City Commissioners. In the event of pressing business before the Commissioners or matters requiring immediate Commissioners attention or action, the Commissioners may, prior to the opening of audience comments, by a majority vote of the members of the City Commissioners, set a maximum time limit for each comment. At any time, the Commissioners may, by a majority vote of the members of the City Commissioners, terminate audience comments for a particular Commissioners meeting. In all cases, the Mayor shall announce the conclusion of audience comments.
(E) Subjects Introduced by Comments to be Deferred. Any subject not on the agenda but introduced in open discussion may be deferred for appropriate investigation or future Council consideration upon a majority vote of the members of the City Commissioners.
(F) Preservation of Order. The Mayor shall preserve order and decorum and, if necessary, shall cause to be silenced or removed from the Council Chamber, any person speaking out of order or disrupting the order of the meeting.
(Ord. 552, passed 6-16-97)