(A) Anyone interested in speaking publicly at a Council meeting and/or a public hearing is welcome. Individuals are asked to sign in just prior to the start of the meeting or hearing.
(B) Speakers will be limited to three minutes per person during the public comment portion of the meeting or public hearing.
(C) Only one person may speak at a time during any public comment period.
(D) No person may assign their time to any other person.
(E) The Chair may deny a person who has previously addressed the Council or Committee the opportunity to speak again during the same meeting on the same topic. Any person who is not allowed to make remarks during public comment shall be permitted to submit written comment to the Council or committee either before or after the time for a public comment with the City Clerk.
(F) No person may address the Council or Committee or engage in public comment except during defined public comment periods, when recognized by the Chair.
(G) During any public comment period, Council or Committee members may ask questions of the speaker while he or she is speaking, if recognized by the Chair. However, the Council or Committee need not answer questions from a speaker during the public comment period. If a person has a question for the Council or Committee, the individual may be asked to submit the question in writing.
(H) All comments must be civil in nature. Any person who engages in threatening, slanderous, or disorderly behavior when addressing the Council or Committee, or who speaks out of turn or otherwise disrupts the City Council meeting, shall be deemed out of order by the Chair. Repeated or extraordinary occurrences of disorderly conduct shall be grounds for the Chair to cause the violator to be removed from the meeting room. The Chair will rule on whether remarks made are in violation of this policy.
(I) The Council or Committee has the authority to determine procedural matters regarding public participation not otherwise defined in this policy and not inconsistent with this policy.
(1980 Code, § 2.204) (Ord. 9424, passed 10-4-2021)