GENERAL RULES & PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT COMMISSION MEETINGS

I. WHO MAY SPEAK

Any individual who wishes to address the Commission, on any subject within the scope of the Commission authority, may do so providing it is accomplished in an orderly manner and in accordance with the procedures outlined below:

A. SPEAKING ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

• Consent Agenda Items. These are items which the Commission does not need to discuss individually and which are voted on as a group. If any member of the public wishes to comment or to be heard on any of these items, he/she must notify the Commission Chair, in writing, prior to the start of the meeting. This will permit the Chair to pull such items for individual discussion at a time convenient to the Board. Notification can be accomplished by a handwritten note addressed to the Chair but furnished to the Minutes Secretary or Deputy, indicating the individual's name, address, telephone number, the agenda item(s) and reason for discussion.
• Regular Agenda Items. These are items which the Commission will discuss individually in the order listed on the agenda. Individuals who wish to participate in these discussions may do so by merely raising their hand during the discussion and being recognized by the Chair. The Chair will determine the order in which each individual will speak and length of time allotted.

B. SPEAKING ON SUBJECTS NOT ON THE AGENDA

• Any individual or group may petition the Board to speak on any subject pertinent to Broward County. This can be done by submitting a letter to the County Administrator at least two (2) weeks in advance of the meeting at which they wish to appear. Send it to Assistant to the County Administrator, Room 409, Broward County Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, telephone number 357-7353. Back-up material must be included. Late distribution of such material or distribution to other individuals or groups without furnishing copies to the Board of County Commissioners may mean deferral of the delegation to a future meeting in order to allow the Board an opportunity to review such material before discussion.
• Each delegation will be notified of the scheduled appearance date and time. Copies of the agenda will be available in the meeting room on the day of the meeting.

C. SPEAKING AT PUBLIC HEARINGS

• Any member of the public may participate in discussions held at public hearings. Discussion is limited to the subject being discussed, as listed on the Agenda. The Chair will call for interested parties to be heard as each item for discussion is introduced. Those interested will ask for recognition by raising their hand at the time indicated by the Chair.
• Public hearings will be advertised according to law and are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Zoning Public Hearings are quasi-judicial and are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. Other public hearings may be scheduled as needed. They will be advertised according to law.

D. QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS

• Certain items on the Commission's agenda are quasi-judicial in nature. If you wish to object or comment upon these items, please indicate the item number you would like to address when the announcement regarding the quasi-judicial item is made. You must be sworn before addressing the Commission, and if you wish to address the Commission, you may be subject to cross- examination. If you refuse to submit to cross-examination, the Commission will not consider what you have said in its final deliberations.

II. ADDRESSING COMMISSION, MANNER, TIME

The length of time each individual may speak must be limited in the interest of order and conduct of the business at hand. The Chair will set this limit at his/her discretion, but will allow the individual sufficient time for a thorough presentation, if within reason and proper order. Each person, other than salaried members of the County staff, who addresses the Commission shall step up to the speaker's lectern and shall give his/her name, address and who he/she represents and whether he/she is being compensated by the person(s) for whom he/she speaks.

III. 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 be granted by majority vote of the Commission members present.(The above represents a summarization of rules pertaining to public participation at Board Meetings. Chapter 18, Part I of the Broward County Administrative Code lists the official Rules of Procedures of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County. Excerpts may be obtained from the Document Control Section, County Records Division, Room 119, Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.)