Guest Herbert Shelton Posted December 27, 2011 at 07:25 PM Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 at 07:25 PM I just was appointed chair of our towns advisory board. We have serveral residents that like to speak during the public portion of the meetings. I was caught off gaurd when the first little old lady started ripping the board to shreads and i told her that she was done and i told her to be seated to make a long story short the other residents that like to cause problems started saying who do you think you are she can say what she wants as a tax payer. I bought the New Roberts Rules reivesed and roberts rules for dummies and i didn't see anything for public portions of meetings. Please let me know were i can find how to control the public portion of our meetingsThank You for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted December 27, 2011 at 07:44 PM Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 at 07:44 PM Please let me know were i can find how to control the public portion of our meetingsYou might want to ask your town's attorney. If someone is truly "disturbing the peace", you might want to have a police officer standing by. Often the mere presence of the police can make people behave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted December 27, 2011 at 07:47 PM Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 at 07:47 PM As far as RONR/11 is concerned only members of the body which is meeting have any rights and those who aren't members of the body have none (RONR p. 648 ll. 11-14). If only RONR applied and you all allow nonmembers to attend meetings and participate the presiding officer can order a disorderly nonmember removed from the meeting with that order subject to an appeal by a member of the body which is meeting (RONR pp. 648-649). However, since this appears to be a public body there is a good likelihood that some applicable law(s) may have something to say on the subject so I would suggest you contact a lawyer who is familiar with any applicable laws governing the town advisory Board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAWVET Posted December 27, 2011 at 08:50 PM Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 at 08:50 PM Check your town rules. It may contain information on speaking during public meetings that may limit the time, the subject matter and also if a person is allowed to speak. These are the type of rules your board must establish and using RONR as a guide for your meetings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Mervosh Posted December 27, 2011 at 09:39 PM Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 at 09:39 PM But why would the rules regarding decorum be different for the public than for a member of the Board? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Ed Posted December 27, 2011 at 10:11 PM Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 at 10:11 PM Not everyone is going to say that the Board is doing a great job, you probably should have simply let here say her peace and be done with it. You caused more problems by not letting her have her moment of glory.Check to see if the By-laws for the organization force you to have these public forums. If not, do not do it at any every meeting, and create rules regarding them. If they do, then follow them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted December 28, 2011 at 05:24 AM Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 at 05:24 AM I bought the New Roberts Rules reivesed and roberts rules for dummies and i didn't see anything for public portions of meetings. Please let me know were i can find how to control the public portion of our meetingsPublic portions of meetings are only mentioned very briefly in RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 96-97, and there are only two sentences relating to "public comment" specifically: "Some bodies, especially public ones, may invite nommembers to express their views, but this is done under the control of the presiding officer subject to any relevant rules adopted by the body and subject to appeal by a member. Often, by rule or practice, time limits are placed on speakers and relevance is closely monitored" (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 96, line 32 - pg. 97, line 4)So first of all, check what your rules and applicable law already say on the subject, and if those rules are nonexistent or inadequate, the assembly may wish to adopt rules on the subject.But why would the rules regarding decorum be different for the public than for a member of the Board?Well, they wouldn't be under RONR.Not everyone is going to say that the Board is doing a great job, you probably should have simply let here say her peace and be done with it. You caused more problems by not letting her have her moment of glory.Well, it was my assumption from the wording "ripping the board to shreds" that the wording used by the speaker was not merely critical of the board, but was indecorous, and therefore (at least as far as RONR is concerned), it was fully appropriate for the chair to call her to order. Of course, if my assumption is wrong, or if the board has special rules or laws on this subject, the answer may be completely different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Ed Posted December 28, 2011 at 05:23 PM Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 at 05:23 PM Josh, you have a point about assumptions here. We do not know what this lady really said. But what one may consider a critical assessment of the Board may be considered "ripping the Board to shreds." The lady has the right to be critical, but that does not mean that she can be rude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted December 28, 2011 at 11:53 PM Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 at 11:53 PM The lady has the right to be critical, but that does not mean that she can be rude.Well I don't know about a right, since non-members have no right to speak under RONR (the board's rules or laws may provide otherwise), but I understand what you're getting at and I agree that being critical, in and of itself, violates no rule in RONR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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