POLICY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT MEETINGS
I. Purpose
The Lapeer District Library welcomes and encourages comments from members of the public who attend Library Board meetings. Pursuant to the requirements of the Open Meetings Act, a person is permitted to make a public comment during a meeting under rules established and recorded by the Library Board.
II. Public Comment Period; Meeting Agendas
- If an agenda is available, the Library Board will have copies of the agenda available for the public who attend the meeting. At the minimum, one shared copy will be available at the speaker’s podium. The agenda will indicate the designated time(s) for the public to provide comments. The Library Board will include at least one public comment period during each meeting. These rules apply to the public comment period in any regular or special meeting or in any committee meeting that is open to the public (“Public Comment”).
B. Members of the public have no right to address the Library Board or make comments outside of the Public Comment. At any time, the Library Board, at its discretion, may accept comments from the public. However, outside of the Public Comment time, the Library Board is under no obligation to hear comments from the public during a meeting.
C. The Library Board has sole discretion to determine the content of each meeting agenda and is not obligated to add any item to the agenda.
III. Rules of Public Comment
The Library Board adopts the following procedures to receive Public Comments:
A. When the Library Board meeting reaches a designated time for Public Comments, the Board Chair will invite attendees to make Public Comments. If the Board Chair is absent, the acting chair of the meeting will perform the Board Chair’s duties under this policy.
B. The Board Chair will ask persons wishing to speak to stand in line at the speaker’s podium and wait to be recognized by the Board Chair. The Board Chair will recognize one person to speak at a time, and each speaker must provide his or her name and address. No person in attendance may make a comment without being recognized.
C. Public Comments must be addressed to the Library Board, not to other members of the audience.
D. Each speaker is only entitled to one (1) three-minute time during any Public Comment period per meeting and may not split the time or “give” the time to another speaker.
E. In lieu of speaking, a person may submit any written comments to the Library Board Secretary. Written materials submitted to the Library Board are considered public documents.
F. The Library Board encourages free and complete public dialogue on Library Board issues within the bounds of civil discourse. Speakers may not breach the peace of the meeting. No person shall engage in physically threatening behavior. The Board Chair may limit or end the comments of any person who engages in this conduct.
G. If a speaker includes specific questions to the Library Board in his or her Public Comments, the Library Board has no obligation to respond.
H. Groups are encouraged to designate one or more individuals to speak on their behalf to avoid cumulative comments. However, there is no requirement to make this designation. If a speaker is speaking on more than one individual’s behalf, they must state as such at the beginning of their comment and shall be entitled to one (1) three-minute time during Public Comment.
I. The Library Board may determine, in its sole discretion, how Public Comments will be summarized in the meeting minutes. Members of the public should not expect the minutes to include verbatim transcripts or details of any individual comment.
J. Members of the public are also encouraged to contact the Library during regular business hours to ask questions, raise concerns, and request information about Library matters.
K. Members of the public must remain seated, stand in the back of the room or along the sides of the room, or approach the podium during public comment or if invited by the Board Chair (including standing in line to speak). Members of the public may not stand in the area in front the first row of chairs and the wall behind the table where Board Members are seated unless permitted by the Chair of the Board.
L. All signs are prohibited in the Board meetings.
IV. Recording of Rules
These rules will be recorded in the minutes and kept on file with the Library Secretary.
