By Becky Killian, Staff Writer
Any member of the public who wishes to make comments during commissioners’ meetings will have to notify the auditor at least 24 hours prior to the meeting and each speaker will be limited to three minutes.
These restrictions are part of a new public comment policy adopted in a unanimous vote during the Tuesday, Feb. 18, meeting of the Washington County Board of Commissioners.
April Geltmaker, an attorney with CLLB Law who represents the commissioners, read the policy prior to the vote.
While Indiana’s Open Door Law requires public boards to conduct most business in open meetings, the law stops short of requiring officials to hear public comments.
According to the policy, speakers will be required to provide their names, addresses, and must be Washington County residents.
Speakers with opinions or concerns can make comments during meetings; however, the policy indicates that residents with questions or who want to discuss matters with officials should either call or email officials.
Geltmaker said commissioners’ contact information is provided on the county’s website.
The public comments portion of each meeting will be limited to 30 minutes.
The policy also states that “public comments shall not attack any individual, shall not be political or election based, and shall not be in regards to personnel matters or any other matter held in an executive meeting.”
The policy also allows the commissioner leading the meeting ways to maintain order when speakers “disrupt a meeting, including when a speaker’s statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene or irrelevant.” These speakers will be given three warnings and, if the policy violations continue, the speaker could be asked to leave the meeting. If the speaker refuses to leave, a law enforcement officer will escort them from the meeting.