Agenda 11-07-19 Item 8-a - Minutes

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2 1 2 The Board's current operational framework also provides for public comments on all items 3 appearing on Regular Meeting agendas. This includes Resolutions, Presentations, Public 4 Hearings, and all other items that appear on a Regular Meeting agenda. 5 6 The Board's current framework also provides the opportunity for public comment at any 7 other specific Public Hearings as may be scheduled by the Board, such as the separate 8 Budget Public Hearings meetings conducted each year by the Board. 9 10 There is no current specific written policy regarding public comment at non-Regular BOCC 11 meetings. However, the Board's general practice for more than 20 years has been that non- 12 Regular BOCC meetings are opportunities for Board members to study, discuss and 13 evaluate issues among themselves, with governing boards from other jurisdictions, and with 14 staff. Since those non-Regular Meetings by practice have rarely incorporated actual 15 decisions made by the Board, opportunities for public comments have been focused to 16 Regular Meetings when the Board is specifically considering decisions on respective issues. 17 18 This item provides the opportunity for the Board to discuss its current public comment 19 framework for Regular Meetings as referenced above, as well as the public comment 20 framework for all other Board meetings. Those other Board meetings include, but are not 21 necessarily limited to: 22 Regular Work Sessions 23 Budget Work Sessions 24 Annual Board Retreats 25 Joint Meetings with Chiefs' Council 26 Joint Meetings with the Schools 27 Any Other Joint Meetings 28 Legislative Breakfasts 29 Special Meetings 30 Meetings Specifically for Closed Session Matters 31 32 Chair Rich said Commissioner McKee and a resident, brought up this issue at a 33 recent meeting. 34 John Roberts said it came up because a lot of false information was being spread, 35 alleging that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) was talking about things behind 36 closed doors, which was not true. He said an item was just opened for discussion, and no 37 vote was taken. He said the public does have an opportunity to make comments at public 38 hearings, and the Board allows public comment at all regular meetings, which is well above 39 the state mandated requirement. He said the topic in question was always intended to be 40 continued to another time, and public comment was to be accepted prior to any vote being 41 taken. 42 Chair Rich said the Attorney's comments are based on page 15 of the booklet, 43 where the procedures are outlined, and the Board did nothing unusual. She said the Board 44 is being pressured to allow comments at work sessions, and has previously made the 45 decision not to do this. 46 Commissioner Dorosin said the points are all well taken, but in the abstract it says 47 there is no written policy about non-regular meetings. He asked if the Board should codify 48 some version of the Procedures that would specifically state a policy on public input. He 49 summarized that public comment is allowed at all regular meetings, and the philosophy 50 behind work sessions is to interact more directly with each other in an informal setting. He 51 said no votes are taken, and any matter that is discussed must come to a regular meeting to