|
Procedural Rules of Roeland Park City Council:
|
|
Public Comments
|
|
1. Non-Agenda Items. The
Agenda shall provide for public comment about matters that are within
the jurisdiction of the City but are not specifically listed on the
Agenda. A member of the public who wishes to speak under Public
Comments must fill out a Public Comment Request to Speak form and submit
it to the City Clerk before the Mayor (Chair) calls for Public Comments.
Persons may speak under Public Comments for a maximum of five minutes
and shall not be allowed to defer any portion of their time to any other
person. Council Members or staff members may provide brief response to
comments when recognized by the Mayor (Chair) for the purpose of doing
so.
|
|
2. Agenda Items. Public
comment will be accepted on Agenda items. A member of the public, who
wishes to speak on an Agenda item, including items on the Consent
Calendar, must fill out a Request to Speak form and submit it to the
City Clerk before the Mayor (Chair) calls the Agenda item. Persons may
speak about an Agenda item for a maximum of five minutes and will not be
allowed to defer any portion of their time to any other person.
|
|
|
|
A. Audience Decorum. Members
of the audience shall not engage in disorderly or boisterous conduct,
including but not limited to; the utterance of loud, obnoxious,
threatening, or abusive language; clapping; cheering; whistling;
stamping; or any other acts that disturb, disrupt, impede, or otherwise
render the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting unfeasible. Any
member(s) of the audience engaging in such conduct shall, at the
discretion of the Mayor (Chair) (Chair) or a majority of the Council
Members, be declared out of order and shall be subject to reprimand
and/or removal from that meeting.
|
|
B. Request to Speak Form. Members of the public
may address the City Council during Public Comments and/or before
consideration of any agenda item; however, no person shall address the
Council without first being recognized by the Mayor (Chair). Any person
wishing to speak, whether during Public Comments or on an agenda item,
shall first complete a Public Comment or Request to Speak form and
submit this form to the City Clerk before the Mayor (Chair) calls for
Public Comments or calls the particular agenda item. The Request form's
purpose is twofold; (I) to have a record for the clerk and (2) to ensure
that the person addressing the Council is informed as to the manner,
form (i.e time limitations; applicable rules), and decorum (courtesy and
respect) with which to proceed in addressing the Council.
|
|
C. Purpose. The purpose of addressing the City
Council is to communicate formally with the Council regarding matters
that relate to Council business or citizen concerns within the subject
matter jurisdiction of the City Council. Persons addressing the City
Council on an agenda item shall confine their remarks to the matter
under consideration by the Council.
|
|
D. Speaker Decorum. Each person addressing the
City Council, shall do so in an orderly, respectful, dignified manner
and shall not engage in conduct or language that disrupts, disturbs,
maligns, upsets, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the Council
meeting. Any person who so disrupts the meeting shall, at the discretion
of the Mayor (Chair) or a majority of the Council Members present, be
subject to removal from that meeting.
|
|
E. Time Limit. In the interest of fairness to
other persons wishing to speak and to other individuals or groups having
business before the City Council, each speaker shall limit comments to
five minutes. If a large number of people wish to speak, this time may
be shortened by the Mayor (Chair) so that the number of persons wishing
to speak may be accommodated within the time available.
|
|
F. Speak Only Once. Second opportunities for the
public to speak on the same issue will not be permitted unless mandated
by state or local law.
|
|
G. Addressing the Council. Comment and testimony
are to be directed to the Mayor (Chair). Dialogue between and inquiries
from citizens at the lectern and individual Council Members, members of
staff, or the seated audience is not permitted. Council Members seeking
to clarify testimony or gain additional information should direct their
questions through the Mayor (Chair).
|
|
H. Yielding of Time. It is understood that a
person making a request to speak does so on his/her own behalf. For this
reason and to guarantee all persons an ample opportunity to be heard,
all speakers will be recognized for the same amount of time. No speaker
will be allowed to yield part or all of his/her time to another, and no
speaker will be credited with time requested but not used by another.
|