During Board of Supervisor’s Regular Meetings there are two opportunities for citizens to directly address the Board Members. At the beginning of the Board Meeting, time is set aside for a Public Comment Period. This time is provided for citizens to speak on community issues that are not scheduled for public hearing. Public hearings are scheduled for specific issues on which the Board wishes to receive public comment.
The following are guidelines for participating in Public Comment Periods or Public Hearings:
Registration:
On occasion, due to large numbers of citizens wishing to speak, it is necessary to register for the Public Comment Period or the Public Hearing prior to the start of the Board Meeting. In these instances a sign up sheet will be placed at the entrance to the District Courtroom.
Speaking:
At the appropriate time the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors will announce the opening of the Public Comment Period or the Public Hearing. If a sign up sheet has been provided the Chairman will read the names from the list and ask the registrant to come forward to the speaker’s podium. If a sign up sheet is not provided, citizens may come forward at their discretion in an orderly fashion. Once a citizen is at the speaker’s podium the following guidelines should be followed:
- Wait to be recognized by the Chairman,
- State your name and address clearly,
- If you represent a group or organization, ask the others to rise and be recognized,
- State your position, give the facts to substantiate your position, and state the concerns that you wish the Board of Supervisors to consider,
- Limit your remarks to no more then five minutes, if there are a large number of speakers remarks may be limited to three minutes, and
- If you have a written statement or other supporting material, give it to the County Administrator for the record.
It is only appropriate to address the Board of Supervisors during the Public Comment Period or Public Hearing portions of the meeting.