Chapter 2
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Article 1    In General.

Article 2    Addressing the Council

Article 1. IN GENERAL

400 Purpose.

This Chapter contains a portion of the general policies and rules of interpretation pertaining to the operations of the City Council of the City of Marysville and to the official conduct of its members.

Specific Authority: Art. II, Marysville Charter; Chap. 2.04 MMC; Resolution No. 2013-53

History: New 9/2013

401 Meetings Open to the Public.

Except as may otherwise be permitted or required by law, all meetings of the Council and of any of its standing committees shall at all times be open to the public.

Article 2. ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL

410 Upon Matters on the Agenda.

Any member of the public in attendance at any meeting of the City Council or of any of its standing committees may address the Council on any matter of business on the official agenda of the meeting by being recognized by the Mayor at the appropriate time.

411 Upon Matters Not on the Agenda.

In accordance with provisions of this Part, members of the public in attendance at any regular meeting of the City Council or of any of its standing committees shall be afforded the opportunity to be heard on matters not otherwise on the official agenda.

412 Public Request to be Placed on Agenda.

Any member of the public may request to be placed on the official agenda of any regular meeting of the City Council and be heard concerning any matter within the jurisdiction of the Council, by following the procedure set forth in Section 229(d) hereof.

413 Addressing Council. Manner. Time.

Each person, other than salaried members of the city staff, who addresses the City Council shall do so from the speaker’s lectern, beginning by giving his name in an audible tone of voice.

(a)    If requested by any Council member, a speaker will be asked to state:

(1)    Whether he speaks for himself, a group of persons, or a third party and, if he represents a group, whether the view expressed by the speaker represents a formal position of the organization as approved by its governing council;

(2)    Whether he is being compensated by the person or persons for whom he speaks;

(3)    Whether he or any member of his immediate family has a personal financial interest in the pending matter.

(b)    All remarks by speakers shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to any individual member thereof nor to the audience.

(c)    No person, other than Council members and the recognized speaker, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, either directly or through a member of the Council, without the permission of the Mayor or other presiding officer.

(d)    In order to ensure the fullest, most meaningful public participation, every speaker shall limit his remarks to not more than five minutes or such other time as the Mayor may, with the consent of a majority of members of the Council present, set on the duration of any single speaker, which limit shall apply to all speakers who address the Council on the same topic.

414 Decorum.

Any person making impertinent, malevolent, profane or slanderous remarks, or who becomes boisterous or overtly aggressive while addressing the Council shall be barred from further audience during the meeting by the Mayor, unless permission to continue or to once again address the Council is granted by majority vote of the members present.

(a)    Any person in the audience who engages in conduct which is disorderly or disruptive to the peace and good order of the meeting shall be escorted from the Council Chamber by the sergeant at arms on order of the Mayor, and may be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject himself to immediate arrest.