In order to secure the rights of the citizens of the city to fair and just representation before their elected officials, and to guarantee order at public meetings of the corporate authorities of the city, the following rules are established.
(A) Any person who seeks to address the corporate authorities of the city, at the time allotted during the public meeting for public comments and questions, shall be permitted to speak only upon recognition by the presiding officer, and the person shall adhere to the following provisions.
(1) Each person addressing the corporate authorities of the city shall state his or her name and address for the record, at the beginning of the address.
(2) Each person shall be granted no more than three minutes per meeting in order to address the corporate authorities of the city, unless the time is extended by the presiding officer, giving consideration to the probable number of speakers and lateness of the hour.
(3) Questions and/or comments shall be limited to city business. Comments supporting or opposing a nominated person’s candidacy for elective office shall not be permitted.
(4) Comments shall be directed to the presiding officer, unless the presiding officer permits the individual to address the Council members of the city or other city officials or employees present.
(5) The following behavior is prohibited during a public meeting of the corporate authorities of the city:
(a) Conduct in violation of any city ordinance, state or federal law, or any rule or regulation implementing state or federal law;
(b) Interruptions of speakers; name calling; boisterous remarks;
(c) Offensive use of abusive, obscene, profane, slanderous or threatening language or gestures;
(d) Acting or behaving in an unreasonable manner so as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace; and
(e) Any other act designed to intimidate, threaten or harm persons, or damage or destroy property.
(B) Members of the public shall not engage in audible conversation which prohibits individuals from hearing and/or participating in a public meeting, or disrupts the conduct of business by the corporate authorities of the city.
(C) Members of the public may enter and leave the meeting room at any time, provided the entrance or exit is made quietly and in an orderly fashion.
(D) Battery operated recording equipment is permitted at public meetings, provided the operation thereof is silent.
(E) The presiding officer at each public meeting of the corporate authorities of the city shall be responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of this section, and shall be empowered to reprimand and/or cause the removal of any and all persons violating the provisions of this section. The removal of an offender from a public meeting shall proceed as follows.
(1) The presiding officer shall twice give the offender notice that he or she is violating certain terms of this section and might be removed from the public meeting.
(2) If the offender continues to violate any of the provisions of this section after receiving the above notice, the presiding officer shall order a police officer to remove the offender from the meeting room. If the offender continues the disturbance outside the meeting room, so that the orderly conduct of business by the corporate authorities of the city is disrupted, the offender shall be removed from City Hall.
(3) The offender has no right to appeal from an order of the presiding officer requiring the removal of the offender from the meeting room or City Hall; however, this order may be appealed by a member of the City Council present at the meeting. Any ruling by the presiding officer may be overruled by a majority of the members of the City Council present at the public meeting.
(4) The offender removed from the meeting room or City Hall shall be criminally charged for any violations of applicable law.
(1986 Code, § 2.06.140) (Ord. 11-0125-20, passed 1-25-2011; Ord. 20-0512-211, passed 5-12-2020) Penalty, see § 31.99