The process for the public to address the County Board is dependent upon whether the matter to be addressed involves a zoning petition or a non-zoning item.
ZONING PETITION-Members of the public wishing to address the County Board regarding a zoning petition on the board agenda do not need to register in advance.
When the zoning petition is called on the agenda, the Chair will ask if there are any proponents of the petition and/or opponents of the petition that wish to address the Board. Both proponents and opponents are given two minutes for an intial presentation, and then one minute of rebuttal to comments made in the initial presentation. County Board members may also have questions for the proponents and opponents. When there are a large number of people wishing to speak either in favor or in opposition to the zoning petition, the Chair shall have the right to ask that one or two people serve as spokesmen for a group, in order to avoid duplicative comments.
NON-ZONING ITEM-Members of the public who wish to address the County Board on a non-zoning item must register to do so no later than four-thirty p.m. the day before the County Board meeting. The request must be made using an online form or by calling the Sangamon County Board Office. The request shall state the name of the person speaking, the topic the speaker desires to address to the Board and the date and time of the meeting. As part of the request, individuals are also required to agree to adhere to the County Board’s Code of Conduct and decorum policies. Failure to complete the required elements of the sign-up process will result in the individual not being permitted to speak. It is also requested, but not required, that the applicant provide a home address, phone number and email address of the person addressing the Board, any County employment relationship or representative capacity. This information may assist County staff in conducting any necessary follow-up or gathering additional information related to the comment.
Individuals who have properly provided notice of their intent to speak will be allowed four minutes. There are no substitutions, transfers, or division of time allowed between speakers. Speakers will generally be called in the order in which they signed up, unless, at the discretion of the Chairman, the Board would benefit from a rearranged presentation or a signed-up speaker has a scheduling conflict.
Unless waived by a majority vote of the Board members present, total public comment time for non-zoning items will be limited to one hour. In the event the allotted time for public comment will be exceeded, based on the number of individuals who provided proper notice of their intent to speak on non-zoning items, the Chairman shall have the right to allow a reasonable additional time period for public comment on any single non-zoning issue and to alter the order of the speakers in order to ensure that all viewpoints are heard.
All speakers will be required to address the Board from the designated locations in the County Board Chambers, using the microphone provided. County Board meetings are streamed live and recorded. Individuals speaking before the Board do so with the understanding that the meeting is publicly broadcast and archived.
Speakers desiring to influence specific County Board actions are encouraged, but not required, to make an initial presentation at the appropriate County Board standing committee.
The chairman may act to prevent repetition or digression, to maintain decorum, to exclude discussion of matters which have had a previous public hearing, to exclude discussion of matters over which the board has no authority, and to exclude discussion of matters where public comment would interfere with due process.
- Visual or audio presentation aids are not permitted during public comment. However, written materials or handouts, including photos, may be distributed to Board members prior to the meeting or placed on the desk of members before the meeting to support a speaker’s remarks. If a speaker chooses to distribute materials during their public comment time, the time used to do so will be counted toward their allotted speaking time.
- All speakers will be required to address the Board from the designated locations in the County Board Chambers, using the microphone provided.
- Speakers desiring to influence specific County Board actions are encouraged, but not required, to make an initial presentation at the appropriate County Board standing committee. Each standing committee of the Board shall insure that time is made available for comment by members of the public and employees, subject to the limitations of time and the business of the committee.
- Speakers shall refrain from statements or remarks that concern the private activities or lifestyles of individual County employees, Board members, or other County elected officials that are wholly unrelated to the business of the county.
- Individuals addressing the Board shall refrain from statements, remarks or conduct that is uncivil, rude, profane or otherwise disruptive to the conduct of the County Board or which causes a disturbance. Those who violate the County Board’s Code of Conduct or decorum policy during public comment are subject to a 30-day ban from participation in public comment for a first offense and a 90-day ban for each subsequent offense.
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