HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution #3932RESOLUTION NO. 3 9 3 2
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES AT
CANTON CITY COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
WHEREAS, House Bill 5483 amended the Open Meetings Act to specifically give the
public a right to speak at council meetings; and
WHEREAS, the language of the Act was amended to include that any person "shall be
permitted an opportunity to address public officials under the rules established and recorded by
the public body"; and
WHEREAS, on May 28, 2010, the bill passed both the House and Senate and has been
pending signature by the Governor; and
WHEREAS, in preparation of this Act becoming Law, the Legal and Ordinance
Committee proposed the guidelines for participation at public meetings; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the citizens of Canton for the City Council to
adopt established and recorded rules regarding the public's right to speak openly at meetings.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF CANTON, ILLINOIS, AS FOLLOWS:
1. That the Guidelines for Public Participation at Canton City Council and Committee
meetings will be as follows:
a. Anyone wishing to speak to the City Council shall submit a written Public
Participation Request Form to the City Clerk, Canton City Hall, 2"d floor, 2 North
Main Street, Canton, IL 61520, no later than 12:00 p.m. on the Friday
immediately preceding the meeting which the speaker wishes to address.
(Attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A).
b. The request must identify the name of the speaker, the group represented (if any),
subject matter, and speaker's contact information.
c. One person should be the spokesperson for a group wishing to speak on the same
subject.
d. A speaker will be limited to five (5) minutes. A maximum of five (5) members of
the public may speak at each meeting. Total time allotted for public participation
shall not exceed twenty-five (25) minutes. The order of speakers will be
determined by the order in which their written Public Participation Request Forms
are submitted to the City Clerk, except that the Mayor may give preference to
persons to speak that represent each side of a matter on the agenda for that week
over persons who wish to address City services generally. Any person not
allowed to speak at a meeting due to the number of speakers shall be advised by
telephone by the City Clerk and given the opportunity to verbally request on or
before the next Friday to speak at the next meeting.
e. No visual aids may be used by the speakers during the City Council meeting.
f. If a speaker wishes to submit written materials to the City Council/Committee,
fifteen (15) copies of the material must be submitted with the written Public
Participation Request Form.
g. The Council/Committee will not hear public comments on the following: zoning
matters, pending or threatened litigation involving the City of Canton, matters of a
partisan or political nature, complaints about City personnel or contract personnel.
The Mayor or Committee Chair is vested with the authority to terminate the
remarks of an individual who attempts to speak on such a subject. The Mayor or
Committee Chair is vested with the authority to terminate the remarks of an
individual who uses vulgar or obscene language.
h. Public comments are not intended to be a question and answer session. At the
Mayor or Committee Chair's discretion, questions can be answered. If the
question requires additional information or investigation, the mayor may, at his
discretion, refer the question to a later agenda for additional response by the City.
i. A speaker will not address the Council/Committee on the same subject unless
thirty (30) days have passed.
2. That this Resolution shall be in full force and effect immediately upon its passage by the
City Council of the City of Canton, Illinois and approval by the Mayor thereof.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Canton, Illinois at a regular meeting this 2 o th
day of July , 2010 upon a roll call vote as follows:
AYES: ALDERMAN WEST, SARFF, REED, SCHENCK, HARTFORD, PICKEL,
RIVERO, ELLIS
NAYS:
NONE
ABSENT: NONE
THE MOTION CARRIED.
APPROVED:
Kevin R. Meade
Mayor
ATTEST:
Diana Tucker
City Clerk