Guest Public Forum Posted February 7, 2012 at 12:59 AM Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 at 12:59 AM Is it okay to host a public forum as part of a regular meeting? We would like to host a 1-1/2 hour public forum followed immediately by a 1/2 hour "regular meeting" - we'd consider it a two-session meeting. Our regular meetings are typically 2 hours. The public forum provides a venue to discuss a state budget proposal and is educational. In addition to our regular meeting members, we'd like to invite interested members of the community. Is there anything we should know before proceeding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted February 7, 2012 at 01:23 AM Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 at 01:23 AM Is there anything we should know before proceeding?You might want to hold the public forum before the meeting (i.e. not make it a part of any meeting). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 7, 2012 at 04:25 AM Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 at 04:25 AM Is it okay to host a public forum as part of a regular meeting? We would like to host a 1-1/2 hour public forum followed immediately by a 1/2 hour "regular meeting" - we'd consider it a two-session meeting. Our regular meetings are typically 2 hours. The public forum provides a venue to discuss a state budget proposal and is educational. In addition to our regular meeting members, we'd like to invite interested members of the community. Is there anything we should know before proceeding?Yes, you can hold a public forum as part of your regular meeting if you like. (Technically it's not a "two-session" meeting, since the word "session" has a particular parliamentary meaning. Sessions may be longer than or equal to, but never less than one meeting in length.) But you can have a "recess" between the two parts of the regular meeting. Or, you can have the forum before the regular meeting, unless there are some starting-time rules that would not allow beginning the meeting an hour and a half late, or some similar consideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted February 7, 2012 at 11:45 AM Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 at 11:45 AM Is there anything we should know before proceeding?I'd keep in mind that if you hold this forum during an actual meeting, as opposed to simply having a pre-meeting semi-informal discussion gathering (call it what you will), and a quorum is present, business can be validly conducted. Motions can be made and voted on when you least expect it. This doesn't mean the invited public and any other collective of non-members has any such rights of membership, but any actual members present can put forth such business as happens at a quorate meeting. And of course, (proper) minutes must be taken. Just thinking out loud, as it were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted February 8, 2012 at 12:02 AM Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 at 12:02 AM Is it okay to host a public forum as part of a regular meeting?Yes, but it's much easier to hold it before or after the meeting (or during a recess).we'd consider it a two-session meeting.RONR wouldn't. Meetings are parts of sessions, not the other way around, and what you've described here is just one meeting (possibly with a recess). A session of connected meetings would involve longer breaks in between.Is there anything we should know before proceeding?Well, as noted, it's much easier to hold it before calling the meeting to order or after adjourning it (or during the recess). It'll take a few more motions to do it during the meeting, and as Mr. Foulkes noted, the members might unexpectedly derail the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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