HomeMy WebLinkAboutPrivilege of the Floor - revised January 2012.pdfPrivilege of the Floor at Meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cayuga Heights
Thank you for attending a Village Board of Trustees meeting. The following policy on public
participation in Board meetings is intended to invite your participation in the interest of open
government.
Meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cayuga Heights take place in accordance
with New York State law, for the purpose of Village governance. Meetings are convened by the
Mayor or by an appointed deputy.
Discussion takes place among the members of the Board with the Village professional staff.
Minutes are recorded by the Clerk. As provided in the New York State Open Meetings Law, all
Board meetings are open to the public, and members of the public are very welcome to attend.
Although not required by law, the Mayor and the Trustees of Cayuga Heights offer Privilege of
the Floor in order to provide individuals in the audience with the opportunity to voice their
opinion on Village affairs.
In the interest of expediting the flow of Village business during its lengthy meetings, Privilege of
the Floor is open for 30 minutes only, ordinarily following any scheduled Public Hearings.
Fifteen (15) minutes prior to the commencement of any regularly scheduled Board of Trustee’s
meeting, a sign-in sheet will be placed on a table inside the meeting room. Upon arrival, all
attendees are requested to sign in, indicating if they wish to speak. The speakers may give their
name and address if they choose. If a speaker does not want to provide their name, they must
sign in as “Anonymous Speaker” and then they are responsible for remembering the number
associated with their place on the list.
Attendees will be called to speak in the order shown on the sign-in sheet on a first come, first to
speak basis.
Speakers are asked to stand unless prevented by a disability, to give their name and address if
they so choose, and must limit their remarks to two minutes of time. Please note that a speaker’s
time may not be yielded to other speakers.
Speakers are requested to observe standards of courtesy and good taste and may be asked to
terminate remarks at any time by the Mayor or another presiding officer if the speaker’s
language is repetitive, profane, boisterous, threatening, offensive, or unruly. Audience members
are asked not to engage with the speaker, or with each other.
Th e Village C l erk k eep s t i m e and gives notice wh en 30 seconds ar e r e m a i n i n g. Occas i o n a l l y,
Board members may ask a speaker for clarification.
Speakers are very welcome to submit their comments to the Board in writing for consideration
and attachment to the meeting minutes. The minutes will include all the speakers’ names, if
provided by the speaker, with a brief statement of their positions.
Although the public is only invited to speak during Privilege of the Floor, the Board may, at its
discretion, allow the public to speak at other times. Speakers must be recognized by the Mayor
or by another presiding officer.
Anyone with an interest in any facet of Village government is encouraged to contact the
Mayor, the Board of Trustees and the Village staff through email addresses found on the
Village of Cayuga Heights web site (www.Cayuga-Heights.ny.us).
Adopted by the Board of Trustees, Village of Cayuga Heights, January 9 , 2012th