POINT ARENA CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
AGENDA ITEM: IX C
MEETING DATE: 4/23/2024
TITLE
Administrative Policy Regarding Public Comments
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Approve Public Comments Policy
ANALYSIS
The Ralph M. Brown Act is the legal foundation that guarantees the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies and to create openness and transparency in government. During public comments at City Council meetings, community members may express their personal views about City issues directly to Council decision-makers in a public forum. At times, discussion of City issues can become highly charged and emotional, which can lead to a breakdown in communication between the Council and the community. Rather than an unorganized debate, established procedures and policies for public comment can help reduce the vitriol that sometimes results on emotional issues.
The Brown Act permits government agencies to adopt practices and procedures that not only facilitates productive communication between the City Council and its community, but also ensures the City’s ability to get business done efficiently and effectively. This Public Comments Policy establishes guidelines for the public to effectively provide oral or written comments during City public meetings as well as for the City Council to clearly hear the community input.
Most Cities have policies that provide guidelines for conducting City Council meetings, which include public input rules as well as general rules of decorum for both the Council and the community. The attached policy is based on analysis of policies from various California municipalities. Nothing prohibits any member of the public from speaking to the City Council directly during designated times for each agenda item. The policy simply provides the structure and rules so that everyone who wishes to speak will have a chance to do so.
ATTACHMENTS
Administrative Policy Public Comments
CITY MANAGER SIGNATURE
_________________________________
Peggy Ducey, Interim City Manager
1 Administrative Policy Number __________
I. OBJECTIVE
A. The purpose of the public comments portion of the City Council agenda is that the community may formally communicate their position on matters of City business. The objective of this Administrative Policy is to establish policies and procedures for the public to effectively provide verbal and written comments to the City Council during public meetings.
II. ORAL COMMENTS:
(1) During “Privilege of the Floor”, members of the public have the right to address the Council on items t h a t a r e within the l e g a l jurisdiction of the C i t y Council, in accordance with Section 54954.3 and any other applicable sections of the Brown Act. While the public can speak about anything within the jurisdiction of the City, the City Council generally cannot act on or discuss an item not on the agenda, pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act.
(2) If an item is on the agenda, the public shall have the right to address the City during discussion of that agenda item during “Public Comments”, which is before the City Council votes on that item.
B. Time Limit. In the interest of fairness to others wishing to speak, each speaker shall have three (3) minutes to speak. If a large number of people wish to speak, this time may be shortened by the Mayor so that the number of people wishing to speak may be accommodated within the time available.
C. Addressing the Council. Comments and testimony are to be directed to the Council as a whole, and not to individual Councilmembers. Dialogue between the public and individual Councilmembers, members of staff, or the seated audience is not permitted. Councilmembers seeking to clarify testimony or gain additional information shall direct their questions through the Mayor.
D. Speakers may only speak once per agenda item. Second opportunities for a member of the public to speak on the same issue will not be permitted. No speaker will be permitted to yield part or all of his time to another, and no speaker will be credited with time requested but not used by another.
E. Speaker and Audience Decorum. Each person addressing the City Council shall do so in an orderly manner and shall not engage in conduct that disrupts, disturbs,
PUBLIC COMMENTS
CITY OF POINT ARENA
2 or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting. Any person who so disrupts the meeting shall, at the discretion of the Mayor or a majority of the Council Members, be subject to removal from that meeting.
Members of the audience shall not engage in disorderly or boisterous conduct, including the utterance of loud, threatening, or abusive language, clapping, whistling, stamping, or other acts that disturb, disrupt, impede, or otherwise render the orderly conduct of the City Council meeting unfeasible. A member of the audience engaging in such conduct shall, at the discretion of the Mayor or a majority of the Council Members, be subject to removal from that meeting.
II. WRITTEN COMMENTS:
A. The public can provide written comments for City Council or other public meetings on specific agenda items. Written comments should include the agenda item topic, number, and date of the meeting.
B. Written comments for public meetings may be submitted to the City Clerk by email at [email protected] or delivered directly to City Hall at 451 School Street, Point Arena, CA 95468.
C. Upon receipt, written comments will be distributed to the City Councilmembers.
D. All written comments become a permanent part of the agenda packet on the day after the meeting or as soon thereafter as possible, except those written comments that are in an unrecognized file type or too large to be uploaded to the City's agenda.
E. All writings or documents, including but not limited to emails and attachments to emails, submitted to the City regarding any item(s) listed or not listed on this agenda are public records.
F. While written comments become part of the record, they will not be read aloud at the meeting.
Approved by City Manager
(Signature) (Date)
Made a part of the City’s Administrative Regulations
(Date)