The Board recognizes its responsibility for the government and management of the Crawford County Correctional Facility and the need to conduct its business in an orderly and efficient manner. The Board also recognizes the value of public comment regarding issues listed on the Board’s public agenda.
In order to permit fair and orderly expression of public comment and to ensure the efficiency of the Board meetings, the Board shall provide an opportunity at each open meeting of the Board for citizens to comment on matters that are listed on the Board’s public agenda prior to official action by the Board.
The Board shall require that all public comments on matters that are listed on the Board’s public agenda be made at the beginning of each meeting.
If the Board determines there is not sufficient time at a meeting for public comments, the comment period may be deferred to the next regular meeting or to a special meeting occurring before the next regular meeting.
The presiding officer at each public Board meeting shall follow Board policy for the conduct of public meetings. Where his/her ruling is disputed, it may be overruled by a majority of those Board members present and voting.
Guidelines
- All individuals wishing to comment on matters that are listed on the Board’s public agenda prior to official action by the Board shall contact the Administrative Secretary at the Crawford County Correctional Facility (814) 763-1190 two days in advance of the meeting. Name and address of the participant, group affiliation, if appropriate, and agenda item to be commented on must be provided. Multiple requests by different persons representing the same group will not be honored. Accordingly, groups wishing to address the Board on a matter or matters listed on the Board’s public agenda should select a spokesperson who can express the views of the collective body. A copy of the Board’s public participation policy is posted in the lobby of the Crawford County Correctional Facility, and a copy may be obtained from the Crawford County Correctional Facility. A copy of the Board’s agenda will be posted in the lobby of the Crawford County Correctional Facility and in the lobby of the Courthouse on the Monday before the regularly scheduled meeting.
- Members of the public must sit in the designated area for members of the public. Only Board members and designated employees of the Crawford County Correctional Facility are permitted to sit at the tables that are designated for Board members and employees of the Crawford County Correctional Facility. If any member of the public fails to sit in the designated area, he or she will not be permitted to comment during the public comment period and will be asked to leave the meeting room.
- Participants must be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface their comments on matters that are listed on the Board’s public agenda by an announcement of their name, address, and group affiliation if appropriate.
- The Board retains the right to refuse permission to any individual to speak at an open meeting regarding a subject that is not listed on the Board’s public agenda for that particular meeting.
- Comments made by each participant shall be limited to three minutes duration and limited to matters that are listed on the Board’s public agenda.
- No participant may comment during the meeting more than once on the same matter listed on the Board’s public agenda, unless all others who wish to speak on that topic listed on the Board’s public agenda have been heard.
- All comments on matters listed on the Board’s public agenda shall be directed to the presiding officer; no participant may address or question Board members or employees of the Correctional Facility present at the meeting individually.
- The portion of the meeting during which public comment on matters listed on the Board’s public agenda shall be limited to fifteen minutes.
- Any person attending a meeting may use a recording device to record the proceedings as long as notice is given to the Board that a recording device will be utilized during the meeting.
- No placards or banners shall be permitted within the meeting room.
- The meeting agenda and all pertinent documents shall be available to the press and the public at the meetings as long as the documents in question are not precluded from disbursement to the public pursuant to federal or state law, federal or state regulations, or federal or state guidelines.
- The presiding officer may:
- Interrupt or terminate a participant’s comment when the comment is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, threatening, derogatory, obscene, or irrelevant.
- Request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum.
- Request the assistance of law enforcement officers to remove a disorderly person when his/her conduct interferes with the orderly progress of the meeting.
- Call a recess or adjourn to another time when the lack of public decorum interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting.
- Waive these rules with the approval of the Board