GENERAL RULES & PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION MEETINGS
THE AGENDA:
There shall be an official agenda for every meeting of the County Commissioners, which shall determine the order of business conducted at the meeting. The County Commission shall not take action upon any matter, proposal, or Item of business which is not listed upon the official agenda, unless a majority of the Commission shall have first consented to the presentation thereof for consideration and action.
a) Consent Agenda Items: These are items which the Commission does not need to discuss individually and which are voted on as a group.
b) Regular Agenda Items: These are items which the Commission will discuss individually in the order listed on the agenda.
c) Silent Vote: A silent vote of the Commission indicates approval of the agenda item.
WHO MAY SPEAK:
The public is encouraged to offer comment to the Board at their meetings during Public Hearings, Matters by the Public, when items are listed on the agenda at a time certain, and on any regular agenda item. SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES.
Board of County Commission meetings are business meetings and as such, the Commission retains the right to limit discussion on any issue.
Please complete a Comments by the Public card and give it to the Public Information representative seated near the speaker’s podium on the east side of the Chambers.
a) Public Hearings: Any citizen shall be entitled to speak on an official agenda item under the section entitled "Public Hearings."
b) Matters by the Public: Any citizen shall be entitled to be heard concerning any matter within the scope of the jurisdiction of the Commission, with the exception of any items scheduled to be considered by the Board on upcoming meetings, under the section entitled "Matters by the Public," on the first meeting of each month. EXCEPTION: NO MATTERS BY THE PUBLIC DURING THE MONTHS OF JANUARY AND AUGUST.
c) Regular Agenda Items: Any citizen shall be entitled to speak on any official agenda items under the section entitled "Regular Agenda Items" after a motion has been made and properly seconded.
d) Paid Lobbyists are required to register with County Administration before lobbying the Board of County Commissioners, any County advisory board member or County employee.. According to Ordinance No. 2003-018, a lobbyist is any person who is employed and receives payment, or contracts for economic consideration for the purpose of lobbying on behalf of a Principal in order to influence the decision of any County Commissioner, County advisory board member or County employee. Registration forms are available in the County Administration Office located on the 11th floor, Government Center, 301 N. Olive, Ave., West Palm Beach, Florida or on the County web page at www.pbcgov.com.
e) As a general rule, when issues are scheduled before the Board as a special item with a time certain the public is invited to offer comment. When this occurs, the order of presentation shall be, whenever possible:
1) County staff presents details of the issue
2) Comments by the public
3) Commission discussion & official action
ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION:
When your name is called, please step up to either podium and state, for the record, your name and address.
DECORUM:
Any person making impertinent or slanderous remarks or who becomes boisterous while addressing the Commission shall be barred from further audience before the Commission by the presiding officer, unless permission to continue or again address the Commission is granted by the majority vote of the Commission members present.
Board of County Commission meetings are held in the Jane Thompson Memorial Chambers, 6th floor, Governmental Center, West Palm Beach. All regular meetings are held typically on the first and third Tuesdays of every month, starting at 9:30 a.m. EXCEPTION: NO MEETINGS ARE HELD THE FIRST TWO TUESDAYS IN AUGUST. (Please check the Agenda Schedule - some meetings have been moved due to Holidays/Election Day)
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