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Below is the Board Policy Public Participation at Meetings

Question: Did the citizen break any of the rules in paragraph 3 ?

TOWN OF ALTON

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS

The primary purpose of the Board of Selectmen’s meetings is to conduct the business of the Town. The Board encourages residents to attend Board meetings so that they may become acquainted with the operation and programs of the Town. All official meetings of the Board shall be open to the press and the public. However, the Board reserves the right to meet and to adjourn or recess a meeting at any time. The Board also reserves the right to enter non-public session at any time, in accordance with the provisions of RSA 91-A:3.

Public participation in the Board’s regular meetings is a privilege that the Board has adopted in order to assure that persons who wish to appear before the Board and bring matters to its attention may be heard. At the same time, in order to assure that it may conduct its meetings properly and efficiently, the Board adopts as policy the following procedures and rules pertaining to public participation at Board meetings:

1. At regularly scheduled Board meetings, the agenda will reflect two (2) times during the meeting that allows for public input. Speakers will be allotted five (5) minutes per person unless extended by approval of the Board.
2. Complaints regarding individual employees, other individuals and/or any matter that may, in the opinion of the Board infringe on another persons rights of privacy will not be allowed, such matters must be directed to the Town Administrator during normal business hours at Town Hall.
3. When addressing the Board, all speakers are to conduct themselves in a civil manner. Obscene, libelous, defamatory or violent statements will be considered out of order and will not be tolerated. The Board Chair may terminate the speaker’s privilege to address the Board if the speaker does not follow these rules of order.
4. If a speaker does not follow these rules after being warned to do so by the Board Chair they may be removed from the meeting. Persistent violations of these rules may result in loss of the privilege to address the Board.

Purpose:

The purpose of this policy is to provide the Board with an opportunity to receive directly from citizens any concerns, desires, or hopes they may have for the community.

Procedure:

A. Persons wishing to be heard must state their name(s), and address and state the issue(s) they wish to be heard on.
B. Persons should try to speak directly to the issue, as briefly—and fully—as possible.
C. Persons should try to be specific about what they want acted upon -–if that is the case—by the Board.
Ground Rules:

A. The Chairman of the Board conducts public input.
B. The Chairman indicates how much time will be allowed for public input.
C. The Chairman will call on those wishing to be heard.
D. No discussion on individual personalities (good or bad) is permissible in public session.
E.The Board will make no decisions during Public Input.
F. Any person whose conduct is disruptive or disorderly will be ordered to cease and desist from such behavior. Should their behavior continue after due warning, they will be removed from the meeting room.

Adopted this 14th day of January, 2015, by the Alton Board of Selectmen


R. Loring Carr, Chairman
Marc DeCoff, Vice Chairman
Cydney Johnson, Selectman
Lou LaCourse, Selectman
David Hussey, Selectman