COUNCIL POLICY
Subject:
ESTABLISHING POLICY FOR CITIZEN
PUBLIC APPEARANCES AND
ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL ON
AGENDA ITEMS
Policy
Num
ber
Effective
Date
Number
of Pages
000-34 08/09/2005 1 of 1
1. BACKGROUND
The Council has expressed concern about the balance between public access to the Council on issues not listed on the agenda but affecting the com munity and items,
including public hearings, listed on the agenda.
The Council has also expressed concern in assuring that members of the public are permitted to address the Council on items listed on the agenda which are not public hearings.
2. PURPOSE
It is desirable for the City to set the Public Com
ments on Non-agenda Matters section of
the Council meeting, so as to enable the Council to conduct the regularly scheduled items in a timely fashion, while providing citizens an opportunity to speak on issues not on the agenda but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Santa Rosa City Council.
3. POLICY
3.1 Citizens are encouraged to complete speaker cards to address the Council whether it be to address agendaed items or under Public Comments on Non-agenda Matters. Cards shall be given to the Clerk after the Clerk is in the Chamber and shall indicate whether the speaker wishes to appear under Public Comments on Non-agenda Matters or on a particular agenda item. The purpose of the cards is to provide a fair process for determining the number of speakers and to enable staff and the Council to contact citizens after the meeting.
3.2 The Clerk shall give the cards to the Mayor, who shall call names in the order cards were received by the Clerk. At the discretion of the Mayor, the order may be changed in light of special circumstances.
3.3 The Public Comments on Non-agenda Matters section of the agenda shall follow Report Items and Public Hearings and precede Written Communications and Mayor’s and Councilmembers’ Reports.
3.4 The Mayor may suspend or modify this policy when appropriate.
Amended by: Motion Dated: Aug. 9, 2005
Amended by: Resolution No. 26241 Dated: Apr. 19, 2005 Adopted by: Resolution No. 21153 Dated: Jan. 5, 1993
EXHIBIT A