Skip to main content

Guidelines for Citizens' Participation at City Council Meetings for Harrison


Posted Date: 08/09/2023

Guidelines for Citizens' Participation at City Council Meetings for Harrison

 

Guidelines for Citizens' Participation at City Council Meetings for Harrison

 

   The City Council welcomes citizens at its regular meetings and provides opportunities for citizens to address the City Council during a meeting.  These meetings are open to the public in accordance with the FOIA.

   The City Council’s regularly scheduled meetings are on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.  Meeting dates may be changed due to holidays, weather, etc.
 

Purpose of meetings

Committee Meetings:  This meeting is intended for committees to discuss items of City business with other City staff, but with no binding action to be taken.  However, as a general rule, all items requiring action should first be approved by the appropriate committee prior to being presented to the full council.  Members of the City staff may present material to the Council and will have time to discuss and consider issues in greater detail before action is taken. 

  • Committee Chairperson has final approval for agenda items for his/her committee
  • Each agenda item is introduced by the Mayor/Chair
  • The Mayor/Chair may ask for a staff presentation or clarification of the staff report
  • The Mayor/Chair may ask for comments from individuals involved
  • The Mayor/Chair may ask if there are citizens wishing to comment on this item
  • The Mayor/Chair may call for a vote to move the item to the full Council meeting

Council Meetings:  This meeting is designed for the City Council to discuss and make decisions on the various issues on the agenda.  The procedure is as follows:

  • Each agenda item is introduced by the Mayor/Chair
  • The Mayor/Chair may ask for a staff presentation or clarification of the staff report
  • The Mayor/Chair may ask for comments from individuals involved
  • The Mayor/Chair may ask if there are citizens wishing to comment on this item
  • The Mayor/Chair may call for a motion and second

    Public Hearings:  The Presiding Individual will open and facilitate this meeting when an item requires input from the public by statute.  Public hearings are held to gather data and opinions from the citizenry that facilitate the decision-making by the City Council.  Public comments can be made in accordance with the same rules outlined.

 

 


Anyone wishing to address the City Council must adhere to the following rules:

  • Requests to be added to the agenda must be received in the Mayor’s office by Noon on the Tuesday before the Council meets.
  • Any copies of handouts, audio files or digital visual content must be received in the City Clerk’s office by Noon on the Tuesday prior to the meeting, in order to be reviewed and added to slideshow.
  • Be recognized by the Mayor/Chair
  • State their name
  • Speak from the podium in a civil, non-argumentative and respectful manner
  •  The Mayor/Chair may limit the number of speakers per issue
  • Comments should be limited to 3 minutes in length
  • Speakers should speak into the microphone and speak clearly
  • All remarks should be directed to the City Council as a body, rather than any particular Council member
  • Speakers will refrain from using profanity, language likely to incite violence or outbursts from the audience, language that is disruptive to the orderly process of the meeting, engaging in conversations with the individual council members, making comments of a personal nature regarding others, shouting, yelling or screaming
  • Other than asking a question to clarify a statement, Council members should refrain from entering a dialogue with the speaker.  This time on the agenda is not intended for a discussion between the City Council ad the speaker and should not be used for that purpose
  • Speakers will not continue to address the City Council once they have left the podium and will not engage in conversation with Council members from their seat
  • The Mayor/Chair is responsible for maintaining order and decorum. He will not allow a speaker to make personal attacks or inflammatory comments and can ask the speaker to be quiet and sit down.  If the individual doesn’t comply with the Mayor/Chairs request, they may be asked to leave or if necessary, be escorted from the meeting

Rules of Decorum for the Audience

Meeting attendees (the audience):

  • Will refrain from commenting, clapping, shouting, booing, or other inappropriate and /or disruptive behavior
  • Will refrain from private conversations during meetings
  • Should not address Council members in individual conversations or make a comment to individual council members

Contacting City Council Members outside of meetings.
You may contact your City Council members at any time.  Their contact information is on the City’s website (www.cityofharrison.com/) under Government/City Council Members.