WHEREAS, The La Grange Town Council is committed to allowing members of the public an opportunity to offer comments and suggestions for the efficient and effective administration of government; and,

WHEREAS, the Town Council hereby establishes and sets aside a special time for the purpose of receiving such comments and suggestions in addition to public hearings

NOW, THEREFORE; BE IT RESOLVED that all comments and suggestions addressed to the Town Council during the Public Comment Period shall be subject to the following Public Comment Policy:

1. Policy Purpose
   • A. To establish a policy for citizens to appear before the Town Council at their first regular meeting of each month.
2. Coverage
   • A. This policy, upon adoption by the Town Council, shall remain in effect until such time that it is altered, modified, or rescinded by the Town Council.
3. Policy
   • A. Anyone desiring to address the council must sign up with the Town Clerk between 5:45 p.m. and 6 p.m. on the night of the Council Meeting. The request should be in writing and on a form provided by the Town Clerk. The form shall as a minimum provide the requestors name, address, and a short description of the topic on which he/she would like to speak.
   • B. The request should not address an item already on the agenda.
   • C. The Public Comment portion of the agenda will be placed at the beginning of the agenda but after all Public Hearings.
   • D. Each speaker must be recognized by the Mayor as having the exclusive right to be heard.
   • E. Comments are limited to three minutes per speaker. A speaker can not give their allotted time/minutes to another speaker to increase that persons allotted time.
   • F. Speakers must address the entire Council, not an individual council member. Discussions between speakers and the audience will not be allowed.
   • G. Speakers will be civil in their language and presentation.
   • H. There shall be a maximum of 3 participants on the same subject. It is recommended that if there are several people who wish to speak on the same subject that they choose one speaker to speak for all.
   • I. The time allotted for Public Comment will be 15 minutes. The Council can choose to extend the Public Comment Period, by a majority vote, an additional 15 minutes for a total of 30 minutes for public comments.
   • J. Individuals who sign up but can not speak due to time constraints will be carried to the next regular meeting of the Council and placed first on the Public Comment Agenda.
   • K. For clarification, any Council Member may ask the speaker questions. The time used by a Council Member to ask a question, or the response to his/her question, will not be counted against the citizens three minute time allotment.
   • L. Public comment is not intended to require the Council to answer any impromptu questions. Action on items brought up during the Public Comment Period will be at the discretion of the Town Council.
   • M. Speakers shall not discuss the candidacy of any person seeking public office, including the person addressing the Council.
   • N. The public can address the Council on any issue other than public hearings items and those items that would be covered in closed session, which would include, but not be limited to attorney/client privilege, personnel, land acquisition and contract negotiations.
   • O. Anyone desiring to address the Council on a specific concern requiring more effective and informed action by the Council should contact the Town Manager at least two weeks prior to the first Monday of the month for the topic to be reviewed for consideration to be placed on the agenda. Whenever possible, staff will address the concern directly, but if staff cannot address the issue, it will be placed on the agenda as early as practicable. The person making the request should provide sufficient information pertaining to their concerns to allow the Council to review the citizen concerns and/or request.