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Establishing a Public Comment Policy for the Cortland County Legislature
WHEREAS, the Cortland County Legislature recognizes the importance of providing reasonable opportunities at all public meetings for any person or group to comment on matters of concern, official action, or deliberation which are on the agenda for that meeting; AND
WHEREAS, the Cortland County Legislature affirms that the rules of public comment at all meetings should be clear and consistent; NOW THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Cortland County Legislature hereby establishes the following policy for public comment (“Public Comment Policy”) at all meetings:
Objective: To establish a policy and procedure to provide a reasonable opportunity at every meeting for any person or group to comment on matters of concern, official action, or deliberation which are on the agenda before the County Legislature at that meeting.
Reference (all applicable federal, state, and local laws):
Procedure for Public Comment:
An initial public comment period (“Business Public Comment”) shall be included at the beginning of all meeting agendas, following the approval of the previous meeting’s recorded minutes, to enable members of the public (those who are not members of the Legislature) to offer comments relating only to subjects on that meeting’s agenda. The total allotted time limit for the Business Public Comment period shall be no more than thirty (30) minutes, with the possibility for extension at the discretion of the Chair of the meeting or by majority vote of Legislators present. In addition, a second public comment period (“Discretionary Public Comment”) shall be offered at the end of the meeting, immediately prior to announcements from County Legislators, during which any individual may offer public comment on any subject or topic relating to Cortland County. The total allotted time limit for the Discretionary Public Comment period shall be no more than thirty (30) minutes, with the possibility for extension at the discretion of the Chair of the meeting or by majority vote of Legislators present. Comments related to any public hearings held at the beginning of the meeting should be made during the public hearing.
At the beginning of the meeting, any person or group desiring to offer comments during either public comment period shall sign a “sign in sheet” with the Legislative Clerk, identifying themselves by name, municipality, and the subject matter of their visit.
Any individual shall have a maximum of five (5) minutes during the Business Public Comment to offer comment on subject matters pertaining specifically to the meeting agenda. Any public comments offered during the Discretionary Public Comment shall be limited to three (3) minutes per individual on any subject relating to Cortland County. Either of these time limits may be extended (but not reduced) at the discretion of the Chair of the meeting or by majority vote of Legislators present. This rule shall not apply to the County Administrator, department heads, or others invited or requested to appear at the meeting.
The Chair of the meeting shall enforce this Public Comment Policy at the meeting. The Chair of the meeting shall prevent any speaker, including members of the Legislature, from making derogatory comments regarding individuals or utilizing vulgar language. The Chair of the meeting shall have the authority to have disruptive individuals removed from the meeting.
Individual Legislators shall not engage with or respond to those who offer public comments during either the first or second Privilege of the Floor periods.
Information about the Public Comment Policy shall be made readily available and easily accessible to the public through the official Cortland County website and the Clerk of the Legislature’s office. A copy of the Public Comment Policy shall be posted outside the meeting location, next to the speaker sign-in sheet.
All remarks offered from speakers during either of the two periods of public comment shall automatically be fully transcribed and documented in the official Legislative record.
; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, that this policy shall take effect immediately upon adoption and shall be reviewed periodically for necessary amendments.