1) The committee will offer any announcements and approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Next, I'll give a brief overview of where we are in the process and how we got to this point. This will all take fewer than 15 minutes.
2) We'll open the public hearing. At this point, anyone can speak, and we'll likely stay there until everyone who wants to has. I expect there will be a lot of people, so we'll ask people to get in line so we can have speakers follow one another fairly quickly and keep things moving along.
3) The basic rules for public comment are as follows:
- When you are recognized by the Chair, you will have up to three (3) minutes to offer your comments. Please begin by stating your name, what organization or business you represent (if any), and where you live.
- While someone is speaking, others in attendance will not interrupt.
- There should be no expressions approval or disapproval (applause, snapping, boos, hissing).
- Remarks shall be confined to the merits of the pending item.
- The Chair may limit or cut off any commentary that is not germane or that is scurrilous, abusive, or not in accord with good order and decorum.
- Any person who shall continue to violate these rules, after warning by the Chair, may be ejected for the remainder of the meeting then in progress.
4) Generally, I will try to let people know they need to wrap up when they have about 15 seconds left. Out of respect for everyone's time and a desire to allow all who wish to speak the opportunity to do so, I'm going to stick closely to the three-minute rule.
And that's it. Everyone is welcome, all views are appreciated, and we will work hard to keep things civil so that all people can express their opinions or concerns.
One other thing to be aware of: the committee doesn't directly engage with people during the public comment period. Instead, we just listen. If people pose questions, we make note of them and do our best to answer them all at the end of the public comment period.
I hope this is helpful, and I hope to see some of you at the hearing on Tuesday.