(A) There shall be a 15-minute public comment period during regular meetings of the City Council of not more than 15 minutes in which the City Council shall receive comments from members of the public. The City Council shall listen, but not enter into discussions or debate the person commenting. The Council may take note of any comment and offer to make arrangements to speak further with that person after the Council meeting concludes or a later date.
(B) Each speaker during public comment session shall be limited to three minutes to make his or her remarks. If more than five people desire to speak at either session, the Mayor or Chair may reduce the time for each speaker to two minutes. The Mayor may also provide for an extension of the 15-minute public comment period, upon the receipt of a motion and majority consent of the City Council, if good cause exists.
(C) The Mayor or presiding officer shall administer public comment periods and shall be responsible for enforcing time limits on speakers and shall direct and insure that speakers during public comment period refrain from the use of obscene, abusive, personal attacks, inflammatory language or other improper or disruptive conduct.
(D) Individuals who use obscene or abusive language or make obscene gestures under conditions likely to provoke a disorderly response from persons present at the meeting, or to disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting, may be cited, or if deemed necessary by the Chief of Police or his/her designee, arrested for disorderly conduct or other appropriate criminal violations. Violators who persist in the use of the use of obscene, abusive, personal attacks, inflammatory language or other improper or disruptive conduct may be prohibited from speaking during public comment period. However, no speaker is to be curtailed for remarks that are merely critical in nature.
(E) This section shall not affect statutorily required public hearing periods held during City Council meetings. During such statutorily required public hearing periods, the Mayor or the presiding officer shall administer and set forth the rules of the public comment period in a manner to insure that all person wishing to be heard have their opportunity to speak.
(Ord. 2013-02-406, passed 2-5-13; Am. Ord. 2015-01-503, passed 1-6-15; Am. Ord. 2016-07-585, passed 7-5-16; Am. Ord. 2019-02-828, passed 2-5-19; Am. Ord. 2019-03-832, passed 3-5-19)