(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to address or attempt to address any regular meeting of the city council except in compliance with this section. Public participation shall be permitted during the following portions of a public meeting:
1. Citizen forum.
2. Public hearing.
3. Invited speakers.
(B) Public participation shall not be permitted during any meetings or portions of meeting which are deemed closed sessions under the open meetings act, 5 Illinois Compiled Statutes 120/1 et seq., as amended.
(C) The presiding officer may impose reasonable limitations on public participation at public meetings, such as barring repetitious, irrelevant, immaterial, or inappropriate comments or testimony. The presiding officer shall have the authority to halt or suspend the public communications/hearing to a later date due to the duration of the public forum/hearing or lack of compliance with this section. In addition to those portions of a meeting set aside for public participation, the presiding officer shall have the discretion to permit public comment at any other time during a meeting, subject to the provisions of this section.
(D) Persons wishing to speak during the public participation portion of a city council meeting shall sign in ten (10) minutes prior to the start of the meeting stating their name, and item on which they wish to speak. All items must pertain to city business. All speakers shall comply with this section and rulings of the presiding officer. Speakers shall be called by name by the presiding officer.
(E) Speakers shall identify themselves before beginning their comments or questions. Speakers shall provide their comments or questions, and provide any supporting documentation and/or evidence they may wish to submit. Speakers shall refrain from engaging in debates, directing threats or personal attacks at the presiding officer, city council, city staff, other speakers or members of the audience. The presiding officer and city council shall have no obligation to respond to any comments or questions raised by members of the public.
(F) Members of the audience shall refrain from applauding, cheering, or booing during or at the conclusion of remarks made by any speaker, staff member, city council member, or presiding officer.
(G) Groups of residents should, whenever possible, consolidate their comments and avoid repetition through the use of representative speakers.
(H) All speakers shall limit their comments to approximately five (5) minutes.
(I) The petitioner of an agenda item is a person or entity with a direct interest in a decision. The petitioner may proceed with a brief presentation of the petition for no more than ten (10) minutes.
1. Speakers may comment or ask questions on the agenda item after the presentation of the petition provided they comply with all the applicable provisions of this section.
2. The petitioner shall have no more than five (5) minutes to reply to comments or questions. Public participation after the petitioner's reply shall be prohibited unless the presiding officer directs otherwise.
3. The presiding officer and city council may, but need not ask questions of the petitioner and speakers at the conclusion of their comments.
4. The city council may then deliberate upon the petition. No additional comment may be made by the public or the petitioner except upon the express permission of the presiding officer.
(J) The rules applicable to the public forum shall generally apply to public hearings.
(K) Any citizen may address the city council by invitation of the presiding officer or a majority of the city council present. Speakers invited to participate shall be subject to such limitations as the presiding officer or majority of the city council shall prescribe. In the absence of other restrictions, such speakers shall be governed by the same rules which govern the public forum. (Ord. 799, 10-5-2015)