RESOLUTION NO. 77
AMENDING THE ALBANY COUNTY LEGISLATIVE RULES OF ORDER RELATED TO PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS
Introduced: 2/12/24
By McLean Lane:
WHEREAS, Albany County regularly holds public hearings and public comment in accordance with State law and the Legislative Rules of Order and, in recent years, questions have arisen regarding speakers who appear to be representing an entity when making their comments, and
WHEREAS, Information about speakers’ municipality of residence and if they are representing and/or work for an entity may help guide Legislative review of public commentary, and
WHEREAS, Amendments to the Rules of Order, which govern Legislative public hearings, are necessary to require such information from public commenters and commenters at public hearings, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, By the Albany County Legislature, that the Legislative Rules of Order are hereby amended as follows for the below designated portion of “Rule 2 - Regular Meetings”:
“PUBLIC FORUM -- From 6:30 p.m. until its conclusion, and in no event shall the Public Forum continue past 7:30 p.m., except that the Chairperson, in his/her discretion, may extend the time for the Public Forum, on the night of each monthly meeting, annual meeting and adjournment thereof, members of the public shall have the right to address the members of the Legislature on matters pertaining to the County of Albany. Each member of the public who desires to address the Legislature shall personally give their name, municipality of residence, whether they represent or speak on behalf of an entity, and the topic on which they wish to speak to the Clerk of the Legislature from 6:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on such evening. [The members of the public should state the topic on which they wish to speak.] The Clerk shall maintain such list as a public record from month-to-month in a continuous fashion. The Chairperson of the County Legislature shall allow each member of the public whose name is reached five (5) minutes, except that the Chairperson, in his/her discretion, may limit speakers to three (3) minutes to give as many speakers as possible an opportunity to address the issues on that evening’s legislative agenda. If all speakers wishing to address the legislature on that evening’s agenda have spoken, speakers wishing to speak on other matters pertaining to Albany County may address the legislature in the remaining time before the meeting and, if at the end of the hour there are still speakers who have not been heard, the Public Forum shall continue after the legislature has adjourned the meeting. No member of the Legislature shall question any speaker nor shall any speakers be allowed to question members of the Legislature. The Clerk shall take roll call and record the names of those members present and absent for the Public Forum. The Public Forum shall be livestreamed.”
and, be it further
RESOLVED, By the Albany County Legislature, that the Legislative Rules of Order are hereby amended as follows in “Rule 39 - Public Hearings/Meeting Times”:
“RULE 39 - PUBLIC HEARINGS / MEETING TIMES
All public hearings or meetings of the body as a whole may not take place before 5:00 p.m. In the event that more than one public hearing is scheduled for the same night, the scheduled times shall be consecutive, with no more than a five minute delay between hearings. The Clerk shall take roll call and record the names of those members present and absent for the Public Hearing. The Public Hearing shall be livestreamed. Each member of the public who desires to address the Legislature shall personally give their name, municipality of residence, and whether they represent or speak on behalf of an entity to the Clerk of the Legislature from 6:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on such evening. The Clerk shall maintain such list as a public record from month-to-month in a continuous fashion.
All meetings of standing or special committees shall not take place before 5:00 p.m. unless agreed to by a majority of said standing or special committee members. No Public Hearing of the Albany County Legislature shall be held on a civic holiday and consideration shall be given to avoid meeting on a religious holiday.”
and, be it further
RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Legislature forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Chairman of the Legislature and the appropriate County Officials.
Referred to Rules Review and Legislative Modernization Committee - 2/12/24
Favorable Recommendation Rules Review and Legislative Modernization Committee - 3/27/24