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Call to the Public Procedures

The Board may conduct a “Call to the Public” at its meetings.  Speakers who wish to address the Board:

  • Should turn in a signed request at in-person meetings (using the form provided at the Board meeting) to the Board Administrator along with any written materials for the Board.
  • May have five minutes to make their

The Chairperson may allow speakers who have not turned in a request form, and the Board may change, in accordance with Governance Policy 1-113, the amount of time allowed for speakers at a particular meeting.

The following priority may be given to speakers during “Call to the Public” when the Board may not have enough time to hear from all who wish to speak:

  1. People who have submitted signed request to speak forms.
  2. Matters scheduled on the same meeting’s agenda.
  3. Off-agenda matters: presenters who haven’t address the Board in the previous two months.
  4. Off-agenda matters: presenters who have addressed the Board in the previous two months.

The Board retains its prerogative to:

  • Refuse to hear comments on a specific issue if a public comment session has been held on the iss
  • Limit the time or the number of speakers on the same
  • Refuse to have letters read on behalf of other individuals.

If speakers have comments that are too long for the time allowed or if members of the public would like materials distributed to the Board, written materials may be provided to the Board Administrator.  The Board Administrator shall distribute those written materials to the Board members.

Board members may not discuss or take action on matters raised during the Call to the Public that are not on the agenda or related to an agenda item.  For such non-agenda matters, the Board may respond to criticism, ask FTF staff to review the matter or ask for the matter to be placed on a future agenda.  FTF staff shall later inform the Board of staff efforts to respond to a speaker’s concerns.

Adopted May 22, 2007
Revised December 5, 2017
Revised August 31, 2020

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