700 Borough ofWatsontown Meeting Procedures A public comment period will be held during each regularly scheduled Council meeting. Except for the case of public hearings or special public information meetings, the public comment portion of the meeting is the only time when comments by the public on non-agenda items will be taken. Questions and comments on specific topics being discussed by the Borough Council will only be entertained after an individual has been recognized by the Council President. Council President may decline to permit questions or comments deemed irrelevant to the topic or The public comment period is designed for comments only. The Council President, in his/her discretion, may direct questions to the appropriate person to respond. No response shall be Each speaker must be recognized and given the floor by the Council President prior to speaking. The speaker shall rise to the designated speaking area prior to speaking. Elected officials, appointed individuals and employees seated at the meeting table(s) shall not bei required to rise to Each speaker during the public comment period is limited to speak one time for a period not to exceed five minutes. The time limit shall be enforced by the Council President (or his/her designee). Any request for extension of this time limit must be made to the Council President who has the discretion to extend the time to speak. The Council President shall have discretion to shorten the timel limit, provided that the shortened time limit is applied equally to all speakers. A speaker is permitted to speak for up to three (3) minutes on additional items raised by other speakers that are distinct from the issues raised by the speaker. This is not a time to rebut issues Comments by speakers must be addressed to the Council President. Attendees may not address Discussion between speakers' and attendees oft the public meeting or hearing is strictly prohibited. presented in a manner inconsistent with these procedures. required. the designated speaking area. previously spoken on by the speaker. thel Borough Council until recognized by the Council President. Comments must be related to legitimate Borough business. comments about public officials, town residents or others. Speakers must present their remarks in a courteous manner and may not make personal A person who disregards the directives of the Council President in enforcing the rules, disturbs the peace at the meeting, fails to follow the meeting procedures, makes slanderous remarks or generally conducts himselfin al boisterous or inappropriate manner while addressing the Borough Council may forfeit any balance oft time remaining for his or her comments and' be: removed from the meeting and building. 530700 If after a final warning, the speaker refuses to step down, the President Council will request that al Police Officer remove the individual from the meeting. Such individual may be prosecuted for disorderly conduct pursuant to the criminal laws oft the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All cell phones and pages must be turned off or silenced. Cell phone conversations are not All elected officials, appointed individuals and employees are required to follow the meeting procedures, unless explicitly stated otherwise in the meeting procedures. An elected official, appointed individual or employee that has been given the floor, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless by the Council President to call the individual to order. If an individual, while speaking, is called to order, such individual shall cease speaking until the question of order is If an elected official, appointed individual or employee desires to interrupt a speaker during his or her remarks, the individual shall make the request to the Council President. The interruption All individuals shall observe the commonly accepted rules of courtesy, decorum, dignity and The Meeting Procedures shall be posted in the Borough Office and at the entrance to the permitted in the meeting room while aj public meeting is being conducted. determined, and ifin order, such individual shall bej permitted to proceed. will only bej permitted fori the purposes of clarification and information. good taste. Borough Council Meeting.