Clone of Amending The 2020-22 Rules Of The Board

Background: In the Wisconsin Open Meetings Compliance Guide, most recently republished in May 2019 by Attorney General Josh Kaul, it reiterates that public comment periods are not required by state statute.

The guidance reads, “In general, the open meetings law grants citizens the right to attend and observe open session meetings of governmental bodies, but does not require a governmental body to allow members of the public to speak or

actively participate in the body’s meeting. There are some other state statutes that require governmental bodies to hold public hearings on specified matters. Unless such a statute specifically applies, however, a governmental body is free to determine for itself whether and to what extent it will allow citizen participation at its meeting.”

Current board rules allow for public comment and provides each speaker a maximum of three (3) minutes. In the interest of focusing on the current business of the board, this proposed amendment limits public comment to agenda items and allows persons to submit non-agenda item concerns to the board in writing.

The proposed changes are reflected by strikethrough and underline.

This rule amendment requires a 2/3rds vote of the members in attendance.