special called meeting

[Guest Confused]

In a regular Board meeting, there is an 'Appearance of Citizens' time in which the public can speak. Is there such a time during a special called meeting?

Our Board is meeting to discuss employees evaluations (the meeting must be open to the public)and several employees are concerned about the public using this time to embarrass them.

Thank you!

[David A Foulkes]

In a regular Board meeting, there is an 'Appearance of Citizens' time in which the public can speak. Is there such a time during a special called meeting?

Our Board is meeting to discuss employees evaluations (the meeting must be open to the public)and several employees are concerned about the public using this time to embarrass them.

Thank you!

Well, typically a "regular" meeting will follow a prescribed "agenda" (reading of minutes, reports, unfinished business, new business, etc) that in your case may likely include "Appearance of Citizens." A Special Meeting should only address the business noted in the call of the meeting. Minutes of previous meetings are not (typically) read and approved, unfinished and new business is not brought up, and so on. Only the item(s) mentioned in the call of the meeting (in this case employee evaluations) can be handled.

The implication here is that the section for "Appearance of Citizens" would not be part of the meeting's agenda. Your governing documents, and even applicable municipal laws may come into play here, making it a required section in the meeting.

And you'll hear from others on this forum in the next .5-18 hours, so do come back regularly and check.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

In a regular Board meeting, there is an 'Appearance of Citizens' time in which the public can speak. Is there such a time during a special called meeting?

Our Board is meeting to discuss employees evaluations (the meeting must be open to the public) and several employees are concerned about the public using this time to embarrass them.

"...(the meeting must be open to the public)..."

You won't find a term like "appearance of citizens" in RONR. (RONR does mention a public comment option. But I cannot say whether YOUR term is a match for RONR's term.)

So no page can be cited to support the usage.

Thus, this process is unique per your own rules. RONR has no rules for its public-comment option.

For special meetings, RONR says that only the business listed in the call-to-meeting of a special meeting may be transacted.

So it appears a little irrelevant to have the public speak on topics not listed in the special meeting call-to-meeting.

If your rules demand such a thing, then obey your rules.