PUBLIC COMMENT AT MEETINGS OF THE
EMMET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
The Emmet County Board of Commissioners values public input and offers two opportunities for the public to comment at its Board
meetings, once near the beginning and once near the end. It affords the Board an opportunity to hear your views and remarks. If
you speak, you should not expect to engage the commissioners or staff in debate.
The availability of Public Comment is recognized by Robert's Rules of Order - Newly Revised, the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and
the Board's Rules of Procedure. All three sources provide that rules are appropriate for orderly comment from the public. To that
end, the following information is provided: 1. A person who wishes to speak during Public Comment will first obtain approval of the Chairperson before speaking. 2. The person will stand at the podium so that the microphone located there will be able to amplify the person's voice. 3. The person addresses the Chairperson on behalf of the entire Board. Public Comment is not to be addressed to individual
commissioners. The person will first state their first and last name with spelling of the name if necessary. 4. At the Chairperson's discretion, anyone wishing to speak may be asked to fill out a card with the person's name and
address, and indicating which agenda item or topic the speaker intends to address. 5. There is a three (3) minute time limit for each speaker. The time limit may be extended by the Chairperson or by a majority
of the Board members present. If a speaker uses less than the three (3) minutes allotted, they will not be able to speak on
the same topic again during that Public Comment until all other persons wishing to be heard on the subject have had an
opportunity to speak. Otherwise, a speaker may speak only once at each Public Comment. There is no provision in the
Rules of Procedure for another audience member to "donate" their three (3) minute time to a speaker. 6. A speaker will be out of order if the speaker disrupts the meeting, fails to be germane, by speaking longer than the allotted
time, by speaking vulgarities, or by making a personal attack on a Board member or county employee that is unrelated to
the performance of that person's duties. 7. If a speaker is called out of order, that speaker will not be able to speak again at the same meeting except by special leave
of the Board. If the speaker continues to disrupt the meeting or is disorderly, the Chairperson may request the removal of
the speaker by law enforcement. 8. The Chairperson will have the discretion to permit members of the public to speak at times other than the times reserved
for public comment. Please click here for the Emmet County Board of Commissioners' complete Rules of Procedure |