The BCCT this weekend, in their two articles about this week's meeting, indicated an incorrect start time. In Manasee's article she said it starts at 7:00. In the listing of "Meetings this week" for the entire county, the paper says it starts at 8:00pm. In reality it starts at 7:30pm. I have already notified the paper of this error. Hopefully they will correct it.
Secondly, apparently you can only sign-up for public comment up until 7:30pm. At 7:31 you will be too late and not permitted to speak. So those interested in speaking should be prompt or early. Secondly, the sign-in sheet has recently been placed in front of the Board president, not off to the side as was previous Board practice. Those who have spoken in the past may need this new bit of direction.
Secondly, apparently you can only sign-up for public comment up until 7:30pm. At 7:31 you will be too late and not permitted to speak. So those interested in speaking should be prompt or early. Secondly, the sign-in sheet has recently been placed in front of the Board president, not off to the side as was previous Board practice. Those who have spoken in the past may need this new bit of direction.
6 comments:
Can anyone say "INTIMIDATION"?
Unless the board passed (in a public meeting) a policy changing the procedure to sign up for the meeting only up to a specific time, I would suggest that the public has a right to challenge this arbitrary rule. By law public comment must be allowed at public meetings and can only (narrowly) be restricted by approved policy.
STAND YOUR GROUND!
If my memory serves correctly, the policy already states a 45 minute rule. As much as we were the board "not willing to listen" we never actually enforced it out of respect for those that had something to say. I believe they can do it, so they just might, and there probably isn't anything we can do about it.
I think if there are 100 people signed up to speak and the board makes the decision to end the public comments after 15 people have spoken it will be the worst mistake they could make. It will only serve to enrage those in attendance and sway support away from anything they ( the board ) has to say.
Then you know what you do if they cut things off too soon? Make sure that you have two printed copies of your remarks. Hand one of them over to the board secretary and the other over to the BCCT reporter.
Sandy Gibson's board never chose to limit public comment. Could have, didn't.
Ken Junkins' board had TWO public comment sections, so that if you came late, you still had a chance.
Plus, when the time ran out, he polled the board to see if they were ammenable to allowing more time. They always were due to the fact that they wanted to hear the public.
And the only person who abused their good graces was Steve Worob.
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