For some time now, I have wanted to allow time for public input at Select Board meetings. Given that we spent several hours allowing such comment at our last meeting, I plan to put forward a policy for the Select Board that routinely allows such comment. We have a full agenda for tonight's meeting but if the chair will allow it, I will ask for a policy as follows:
Moved that,
The Select Board shall have a brief period for the public to express their views on motions before the board in the following manner:
· After a motion is moved, seconded, and discussed by the Select Board but before taking a vote, the chair will inquire whether any member of the public in attendance wishes to speak on the motion before the Board.
· After determining the number of people wishing to speak, the chair will set a brief period of time for those comments, state the time period which the chair feels is adequate for those comments, and the time to be allotted to each speaker. The time to be equally divided among the speakers. The time allotted for an individual speaker will not be less than one minute or more than 5 minutes unless otherwise set by majority vote of the Board
· Other members of the Select Board may request a different time period for comment by a motion to amend the time period allowed by the chair. The motion must be seconded and voted by a majority to override the decision of the chair regarding the allotted time for comment.
· Each person rising to speak will be asked to state their name for the record. Comments will be confined to the motion under consideration before the Board
· Select Board members will be given an opportunity to respond to the comments of the public before the vote on the motion is taken.
This policy will apply to both televised and workshop meetings of the Select Board. It is the intent of this policy to allow the public to express their views prior to a vote by the Select Board. Discussion among the public and Select Board or questions from the public about the motion may be allowed by the chair at the discretion of the chair.
What do you think? Is this a good idea?
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5 comments:
AMEN to that! Just please try your best to keep people on topic and set a time limit and hold to it. Rambling monologues given by some do no one any good.
This is much needed and if the public respects basic limits I think will do a lot of good.
I agree. The residents should be able to speak! During the override fiasco last year, the board tried to keep the public from speaking. And they started having afternoon sessions, so most of public would be in the dark. I'm glad the board is going back to public televised meetings.(or at least, I hope so!)
Bill, I think this is great. Let the people speak! Dias and Carney were not in favor of this last year. They didn't want to hear the public tell them, no override. I appreciate the fact that you have always been in favor of letting the public speak. Thanks and good luck!
Good Idea Bill,
I just hope the public would be heard and not just "allowed" to speak. I hope input by the public is weighed just as heavily as members of the selectboard.
This is great Bill. It will help too if the Select Board (like Diane and Joe) don't roll their eyes or make comments under their breadth and sigh while public is speaking. Even if public is saying stupid or narrow minded things. Once they declared, "Enough already"... granted Bob Michaud may have been rambling.
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