Public Comment Policy

View Board-Approved Policy (PDF)

Public Comment Form (PDF) (public comment forms will available at Board meetings)

This webpage has been formatted for easier online reading. The PDF is the official policy document approved by the Board of Trustees.

Statement of Purpose

The Hudson Library and Historical Society Board of Trustees welcomes public participation and will hear any interested individual pursuant to the guidelines outlined in this policy. In order to ensure a fair opportunity for public comment as well as allow the Board to fulfill their meeting agenda, the Board has established the following method for receiving public comments.

Oral Comments

• A public comment period will be offered at all regularly scheduled monthly Board meetings
• Residents may address the Board only during that time period unless otherwise allowed by motion and approval of a majority of the trustees
• Members of the public who wish to speak are asked to sign up before the meeting begins, identifying themselves and providing their address and possible group/organization affiliation. Anyone refusing to identify him/herself will be prohibited from speaking
• Each speaker is limited to five minutes unless otherwise authorized by motion and the approval of a majority of the trustees
• A total of up to thirty minutes will be allotted per meeting for public comments
• Public comments will be addressed to the entire Board, and normally there will not be a response from either Board members or the Library Director. It is, however, at the discretion of the Board President whether to allow any response or discussion of public comments
• During the public comments session, additional agenda items shall not be accepted
• Any member of the public wishing to have an item considered for addition to the agenda is asked to contact either the Library Director or the Board President at least one week prior to the next board meeting
• Letters received from the public can be read into the record by the Board President if they conform to the policy standards
• If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitation set forth in this policy or become inappropriate in language or conduct, it shall be the responsibility of the Board President to declare that person out of order and refuse him/her permission to continue to address the Board. If disruptive conduct escalates said person shall be asked to leave the meeting
• Comments made during the public portion of the meeting shall become part of the meetings record
• There is no guarantee that suggestions brought forth by the public during the public comment section of the meeting will be addressed by the Board at the current or a future meeting
• If the number of people wishing to speak is large the President may rule that a special meeting be convened to address the issue(s) in question
• Each speaker is allowed to comment only once
• Copies of this policy will be made available at all public meetings of the Board

Adopted 12/2013