Public Meeting Ground Rules

The purpose of public meetings of the Selectboard is to conduct regular business of the board in accordance with the posted agenda.   If a public hearing or comment period will be part of the meeting, the chair will announce that at the beginning of the meeting. Anyone may attend, including non-residents and non-voters.

Ground Rules:

1. Please silence all cell phones.
2. Public comment:
   1. While the public is welcome to attend an open public meeting, an individual may not address the public body without permission of the chair.
   2. If the Chair opens the meeting for public comment:
      1. The Chairperson has discretion to impose a maximum time period for public comment or the Chair may limit the length of individual comments.
      2. The Chairperson may limit comments to items on the agenda or open public comment generally.
      3. Please keep your comments brief and on point.
      4. Please raise your hand to be recognized by the Board Chair and speak when recognized.
      5. Identify yourself by name and address.
      6. Address your remarks to the Board and avoid debate.
      7. Treat everyone with kindness, courtesy, and respect.
      8. Listen quietly and attentively with the intention of understanding everyone’s viewpoint.  It is possible to respect other viewpoints without agreeing with them.
   3. The Board will not tolerate disruptive behavior in a public meeting; therefore, do not engage in demonstration, booing, handclapping, or otherwise disrupt the public meeting.
   4. Anyone not following these guidelines will be asked to refrain from doing so, and may, in the sole discretion of the chairperson, be asked to leave the public meeting.
3. Recording: 
   1. The board and/or any member of the public may make an audio or video recording of an open session of a public meeting under the following procedures:
      1. Notify the chair and comply with reasonable requirements regarding equipment established by the chair so as not to interfere with the meeting.
      2. The chair will inform other attendees of any such recording at the beginning of the meeting.
   2. Anyone arriving after the meeting has begun wishing to record, should notify the chair prior to beginning recording, ideally in a manner that does not significantly disrupt the meeting in progress (such as passing a note for the chair to the board administrator or secretary). The chair will endeavor to acknowledge such notification and announce the fact of any recording to those in attendance.