(A) Privilege of citizens and taxpayers to be heard; limitation on time to speak. Any citizen or taxpayer of the city may be heard either in person or by counsel upon any matter introduced or pending before the Council; but no speech or hearing shall exceed five minutes, except by the unanimous consent of the Council. If a citizen or taxpayer of the city requests to be heard either in person or by counsel upon any matter which is not introduced or pending before the Council, said citizen or taxpayer of the city may be permitted to address Council upon unanimous consent of the Council. Said speech or hearing shall not exceed five minutes, except again by unanimous consent of the Council.
(B) Citizens or counsel to speak only once on one subject at any one meeting. No citizen or taxpayer of the city or his or her counsel shall speak more than once on one subject at any one meeting of the Council, except by unanimous consent.
(C) Manner of addressing Council. Any person, before addressing the Council, shall rise to his or her feet, respectfully address the presiding officer and remain standing while delivering his or her address. The person addressing Council shall state his or her name and address, and if the person represents a group or is speaking on behalf of someone other than himself or herself.
(D) Order of recognition. If two or more persons desire to address the Council at the same time, the presiding officer shall recognize the person who first addressed the chair, and the other person shall at once be seated.
(E) Acknowledgment. The Mayor or the presiding officer of the meeting shall acknowledge the person addressing the Council. The Mayor or the presiding officer may request that the matter being addressed in the public comment be referred to the appropriate Council committee.
(1991 Code, § 2-11) (Ord. 133, passed 11-17-2011)