Addressing City Council

Oral Presentations by Members of the Public

The following procedures will guide oral presentations by members of the public at City Council meetings:

a. Prior to the meeting or during the meeting prior to a matter being reached, persons wishing to address the City Council should complete a Public Meeting Appearance Form and present it to the City Clerk.

b. When called upon, the person should come to the podium, state his/her name and address for the record and, if speaking for an organization or other group, identify the group represented.

c. All remarks should be addressed to the City Council as a whole, not to individual members.

d. Questions, if any, should be directed to the presiding officer who will determine whether, or in what manner, an answer will be provided.

Citizens' Comments

This portion of the City Council meeting is set aside for members of the public to address the City Council on any item of business that is not formally scheduled on the agenda or scheduled as a Public Hearing. Members of the public should complete a Public Meeting Appearance Form prior to the item being heard and present it to the City Clerk.

a. Timing

Citizens' Comments are generally permitted at the beginning of the regular City Council meeting, as specified on the agenda. Presentations shall be limited to three minutes each, but may be extended for an additional two minutes with approval of a majority of the City Council. Citizens' Comments shall be limited to a cumulative total not to exceed fifteen minutes for all speakers.

b. City Business

Presentations under Citizens' Comments are limited to items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City.

c. No Council Deliberations

In compliance with the Indiana Open Door meeting laws, the City Council may not deliberate or vote on any matter raised in Citizens' Comments, except for the purpose of determining whether such matter should be placed on a future City Council agenda. The Mayor, however may request the City Operations Manager to provide additional information on a matter of general interest to the full City Council, the public at large and to the citizen making the comment.