HomeMy Public PortalAboutDecorum PolicyDECORUM
The presiding officer shall preserve strict order and decorum at
all meetings.
1. In conducting the public's business, the Town Commission is
committed to the principles of civility, honor, and dignity.
Individuals appearing before the Town Commission are requested
to observe the same principles when making comments on items
and issues presented to the Town Commission for their consideration.
2. Staff members and citizens are required to use proper language
when addressing the Commission or the audience. Staff members
and citizens shall not use profanity or cursing, aggressive
or threatening behavior when addressing the Town Commission
or other participants. All comments are directed to the
Mayor and not to individual members of the Town Commission
or to the audience. No personal verbal attacks toward any
individual members of the Town Commission or to the audience and
no personal verbal attacks toward any individual will be
allowed during the conduct of a Town Commission meeting. The
Mayor or Chair may have individual(s) removed from the podium
and /or Town Commission Chambers if such conduct persists
after a warning has been issued.
3. All members of the Commission shall accord the utmost courtesy
to each other, the Town employees and the public members
appearing before the Commission and shall refrain at all times
from rude and derogatory remarks, reflections as to integrity,
abusive comments and statements as to motives and personalities.
During Commission meetings cell phones are to be turned off or
silenced. The use of all cameras and /or recording equipment, other
than that being used by the Town, is restricted to the last five
(5) feet in the rear of the room.
4. In addition to the prohibitions above, Section 871.01, Florida
Statutes, declares that any person who willfully interrupts or
disturbs any assembly of people meeting for any lawful purpose
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, and may
be arrested by police officers present. This may be done in the
absence of the conduct being noted, or of .the offender being
called to order, by the presiding officer.
5. In the case that any person is declared out of order by the
presiding officer and ordered expelled, and does not immediately
leave the Commission Chambers, the following steps shall betaken:
A. The Mayor or chair shall declare a recess.
B. The person shall be approached by a police officer and
advised that he has been ordered expelled.
C. In case the person does not remove himself from the
area he may be placed under arrest for violation of
Section 871.01 F.S.S..
D. Tn the event any person who is ordered expelled leaves
the Commission Chambers voluntarily and then returns to
the same meeting, he is subject to arrest for violation
of Section 871.01 F.S.S.
The Town Manager shall have a uniformed certified law officer available
at all public meetings.