HomeMy Public PortalAbout063-2018 - establishing guidelines for public speaking at Council mtg - STRICKENS ............ ............
mumuu m
COMMON COUNCIL
CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA
ORDINANCE NO. 63-2018
A SPECIAL ORDINANCE ADOPTING A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF
RICHMOND COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA
WHEREAS, The Richmond Common Council believes it to be important in providing an
opportunity for the citizens of Richmond, Indiana to voice opinions and to provide
factual information relative to agenda and non -agenda items in a public forum on
matters germane to the governance, administration, and legislative process of the
City of Richmond; and as such, desires to establish a public comment section at
each Common Council Meeting; and
WHEREAS, The Richmond Common Council further values the efficient administration of its
meetings; and further intends to ensure that principles of decorum and
professionalism are upheld during the public comment section of each meeting; and
NOW, THEREFORE, be it ordained by the Common Council of the City of Richmond,
Indiana, as follows:
1. Not more than five (5) individuals shall be permitted to speak, pursuant to the rules
contained herein, at the regular public meetings of Richmond Common Council with each
speaker being limited to three (3) minutes of public comment; however, in the event that
there are multiple people who wish to speak during any public comment period, the
President of Common Council, at his or her discretion, may reduce or increase the time
allowed for each individual, or limit or increase the number of speakers during any specific
public comment period; and
2. Any individual desiring to speak at a Richmond Common Council meeting must sign up
in the Richmond City Clerk's Office indicating his or her desire to speak during the public
comment section of the next scheduled meeting on or before the Wednesday preceding the
next regularly scheduled meeting at or before 12:00 p.m. The sign up process shall be on
a first come, first served basis.
3. It is determined that it is in the best interest of the public comment process for each speaker
to state his or her name and to speak directly into the microphone provided, and that each
speaker shall speak from the podium and refrain from approaching the Council, or any
other elected or appointed officials positioned near the Council; and
4. Each speaker should refrain from engaging the Common Council in a question -and -answer
exchange; and further, refrain from the following: utilizing language which may incite an
immediate breach of the peace; undue repetition; obscenity; discussing matters entirely
irrelevant to any city -related function of government; and personal attacks against private
individuals unrelated to the operation of the City; and
5. The Common Council President should be vested with the authority to declare any speaker
out of order for failure to comply with the requirements herein; and any person who persists
in violating the same may be removed from the Common Council Meeting.
Passed and adopted this day of , 2018, by the Common
Council of the City of Richmond, Indiana.
President
(Jamie Lopeman)
ATTEST: , City Clerk
(Karen Chasteen, IAMC, MMC)
PRESENTED to the Mayor of the City of Richmond, Indiana, this day of
2018, at 9:00 a.m.
, City Clerk
(Karen Chasteen, IAMC, MMC)
APPROVED by me, David M. Snow, Mayor of the City of Richmond, Indiana, this day of
, 2018, at 9:05 a.m.
ATTEST:
(Karen Chasteen, IAMC, MMC)
(David M. Snow)
City Clerk
Mayor