YOUR CITY COUNCIL

A copy of this publication is available upon request (757-926-8634)

Guidelines for Citizen Participation 

Registering
Every item on the agenda of a regular meeting of Council is open to discussion by anyone attending the meeting. Persons having an interest in any agenda item who desire to comment, shall fill out a card with their name and residential address, indicating the item on which they wish to speak. Under the agenda item "Citizen Comments on Matters Germane to the Business of City Council", citizens may address City Council on matters not on the current agenda.  The cards shall be available at the main entrance to the Council chambers and should be given to the City Clerk or her designated representative prior to the meeting. The Mayor will recognize speakers when the agenda item they are interested in is called. Speakers will be asked to approach the podium in front of City Council when their name is announced.  Under agenda item, "Citizen Comments on Matters Germane to the Business of City Council," citizens may address City Council on any matters not listed on the agenda.

Regulations
A. Cell Phone and Recordings. Ringers on cell phones or pagers shall be turned off during the time that persons are in the City Council Chambers.
Taking of photographs and video or audio recordings, etc. The taking of photographs and video or audio recordings of a speaker or the activities during a regular meeting of City Council shall be from the side aisles. During regular meetings of City Council, no flashes or lighting devices may be used by photographers or operators of video recording equipment. During prefatory meetings of City Council, the taking of photographs and video or audio recordings of a speaker or the activities thereof are permitted from the center aisle; however, the photographer or recorder should take steps to avoid obstructing the center aisle for any length of time in such a manner as to prevent others from taking photographs, or to block the view of others attending the City Council meeting.
B. Speaking. When a speaker is called by the Mayor, the following is required:
1. Speakers shall proceed to the speaker's podium and adjust the microphone to the level of their mouth. Speakers should speak into the microphone to insure that their name and remarks are heard and recorded as a part of the record of the meeting.
2. Speakers shall state their full name and address.
3. If a speaker represents a group or organization, the speaker shall indicate the name of the organization and the speaker's relationship to the group or organization. Speakers may ask others from their group or organization to stand at their seats while the group's or organization's name is announced, but non-speakers or individual members are not permitted to stand with speakers at the podium and for safety reasons, no members of the group or organization are permitted to stand in the aisles or doorways of the City Council chambers. Those members of a group or organization who do stand when the name of the group or organization is announced shall then be seated.
4. Speakers shall state their position, give the facts to substantiate their position, and relate the concerns they believe City Council should consider.
5. If a written statement or other supportive material is available, it should be delivered to the City Clerk for the record.
6. Speakers shall refrain from words or statements which, from their usual construction and common acceptance, are construed as insults or which have a tendency to cause an act of violence or a breach of the peace.
7. Speakers shall refrain from obscenity, vulgarity, and profanely cursing or swearing.
8. Speakers shall refrain from actions that would interrupt the public meeting.
C. Time limitations for remarks. Speakers shall confine their remarks to no more than five (5) minutes when addressing City Council on any agenda item. If the electronic device on the podium is available it will signify when five (5) minutes have concluded by lights that change from green, to yellow and finally red. If the electronic device is not available, speakers will be advised when their five (5) minutes have concluded. Speakers cannot "transfer" nor "designate" their time to another speaker in an effort to provide another speaker more than the allotted five (5) minutes on any agenda item. After a speaker has concluded his or her remarks, the speaker should return to his or her seat unless a member of City Council indicates that he or she has a question to address to the speaker.
D. Decorum and order.
1. For safety reasons, petitioning, picketing, displaying signs or posters, solicitation, demonstrating, pamphlet distribution, and conducting polls shall not be permitted in the Council chambers, the Council conference room, or the waiting area and corridors adjacent to the chambers and conference room or within fifty (50) feet of the doorway to the Council chambers, Council conference room, or the waiting area and corridors adjacent to the chambers, Council conference room, and the building containing the Council chambers.
2. These regulations do not preclude speakers, when addressing City Council, from delivering to the Council members by way of the City Clerk written materials including reports, statements, exhibits, letters, or signed petitions. Nor do these regulations preclude those addressing City Council from using a chart or graph during their verbal presentation.
3. The Mayor or other presiding officer shall preserve decorum and shall decide all questions of public order.
4. At the request of the Mayor or City Manager, one or more persons, including City police officers shall act as sergeant-at-arms or sergeants-at-arms at all City Council meetings. The sergeant-at-arms, or sergeants-at-arms shall, under the direction of the Mayor or other presiding officer, have charge of the Council chambers, the Council conference room, and the waiting areas and corridors adjacent thereto, and shall prevent disorder or interruption of the business of City Council.
5. Furthermore, nothing herein shall be interpreted to prohibit speakers or any citizens from addressing oral or written comments or complaints on any subject not germane to the business of City Council, to City Council, its constituent members, the City Clerk, or City administration, outside of the context or time frame of City Council's regular, prefatory or special meeting(s).