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HomeMy WebLinkAbout(0050) RESOLUTION - Amendment Regarding Speakers with ATTACHA RESOLUTION NO. AMENDING THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE TO COMBINE AND REFORMAT SECTIONS 5.4.1, 5.4.2, 5.4.3, 5.4.4 AND 5.4.6; TO CLARIFY THAT CITIZENS MAY SPEAK AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AND DURING CITIZEN PRESENTATIONS; TO ADD LANGUAGE REQUIRING ADDITIONAL TIME FOR SPEAKERS WHO REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF A TRANSLATOR; AND TO DELETE THE REFERENCE TO SECTION 5.4.5 REPEALED IN 2017 BY RESOLUTION 4845-09-2017 WHEREAS, Chapter 3, Section of the City Charter provides that the City Council shall determine the rules of procedure for its meetings; and WHEREAS, the City Council adopted its rules of procedure on January 8, 1960 and have amended them from time to time; and WHEREAS, on June 6, 2019 the Governor signed House Bill 2840, effective September 1, 2019, requiring governmental bodies to provide a member of the public an opportunity to address the body regarding an item at the meeting before or during the body's consideration of the item; WHEREAS, House Bill 2840 also requires a governmental bodies to provide a member of the public who addresses the body on an agenda item for consideration through the use of a translator to be given at least twice the amount of the time to speak given to a member of the public who does not require the assistance of a translator; WHEREAS, Sections 5.4.1, 5.4.2, 5.4.3, 5.4.4 and 5.4.6 will be reformatted under one heading entitled "Speaking at City Council Meetings". NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: 1. The Rules of Procedure, City Council of Fort Worth (adopted January 8, 1960, as amended) are hereby amended as set forth in Exhibit "A". 2. The Resolution shall take effect on September 1, 2019. 3. The City Secretary and the City Attorney are directed to prepare a new printing of the Rules of Procedure, as amended, and distribute the same to the City Council, the City Manager and other city staff as deemed appropriate and make said amended rules available to the public. Adopted this ATTEST: day of By: Mary Kayser, City Secretary 2019. ATTACHMENT A Reformat, Renumber and Revise as follows: Reformat Section 5.4.1 to only contain the following language: 5.4.1 Citv Council Work Sessions No persons shall be allowed to address the City Council at the City Council Work Session unless they are presenting on an agenda item or called upon to speak by the Chair or the City Manager. Combine the language currently in 5.4.1, 5.4.2, 5.4.3, 5.4.4 and 5.4.6 into Section 5.4.2 and add "City Council Meeting" where appropriate 5.4.2 Speakingat City Council Meetings a. Posted Agenda Items for Consideration Speakers may address the City Council at a City Council Meeting on any posted agenda item when the item is called for consideration or may speak on any matter related to City business or affairs that is in the scope of the authority and legislative functions of the City Council during the Citizens Presentations portion of the 1 Council Meeting. b. Deadline to Register to Speak The deadline for registering to address the City Council at a 7:00 p.m. City Council Meeting is 5:00 p.m. on the day of the City Council Meeting. The deadline for registering to address the City Council at a 10:00 a.m. City Council Meeting is 8:30 a.m. on the day of the City Council Meeting. Persons may register by calling the City Secretary's Office, registering in person at the City Secretary's Office or by registering on the City's website. The process to register will be prescribed by the City Secretary and shall be prominently displayed on the City's website and in the City Secretary's Office. No person shall be permitted to speak on an item that is specifically posted on the City Council Meeting agenda or address the City Council during Citizen Presentations unless they previously registered to speak and are recognized by the Chair. Aperson registered to speak must be present in order to give his or her time to another registered speaker. No time may be given to a person that is not registered to speak. Submission of Written Comments Persons or representatives may submit written comments in support or opposition to a particular agenda item ^ a topic that eould by diseussed duff g Git Pr-ese„tatiA„g of a City Council Meeting in lieu of presenting verbal testimony, provided such written testimony is submitted by the registration deadline outlined in this Section. d. Speaker's Use of Electronic Media Any person wishing to make a presentation during a City Council Meeting that includes video or another form of electronic media must provide that information in digital format to the City Secretary's Office no later than three o'clock (3:00 p.m.) the day of a City Council Meeting starting at 7:00 p.m. or by five o'clock (5:00 p.m.) the day before a City Council Meeting starting at 10:00 a.m. for review by the staff. City staff shall review the information as to form and content. The information shall not contain any statements, graphics or pictures that are offensive or reflect personal attacks on other individuals, the City Council members or City staff. The digital format must be compatible with the City's technology equipment. The presentation will be tested prior to the City Council Meeting to ensure that it is compatible with the City's equipment. (Revised by Resolution No. 3978-03-2011, 3/22/11 and Resolution 4684-09-2016, 9/27/2016) e. Individual Presentations on Posted Agenda Items When a posted agenda item is taken up for consideration by the City Council, the Chair shall recognize each individual that has registered to speak on that item by calling the person's name. Upon being recognized, the person shall advance to the center podium (or the back podium, if needed) and shall state his or her name and city of residence in an audible tone for the record and shall limit his or her remarks to the topic under discussion. A person desiring to speak shall address the Chair and the Council Members, not the audience or the City staff. Each speaker shall be limited to three (3) minutes. Each speaker who requires the assistance of a translator to addresses the Chair and Council Members shall be limited to six (6) minutes. At the discretion of the Chair, the Chair may extend the time allotted to a speaker or may reduce the time allotted to each speaker to two (2) minutes for such reasons as the time allocated for the meeting, the number and complexity of agenda items, or the number of persons wishing to address the City Council. Each speaker who requires the assistance of a translator to addresses the Chair and Council Members shall be given at least twice the amount of time given to a member of the public that does not require a translator. No persons other than a Council Member or the person having the floor shall be permitted to enter into the discussion directly with a member of the City Council without the permission of the Chair. All questions to the Council shall be directed to the Chair. (Revised by Resolution 3978-03-2011 3/22/2011 and Resolution 4845- 09- 2017, 9/19/2017 effective 11/30/2017) f. Group Presentations on Posted Agenda Items: Presentation by a representative of an organized group consisting of a minimum of (10) ten persons, Chair shall be limited to six (6) minutes. A representative who requires the assistance of a translator to addresses the Chair and Council Members shall be limited to twelve (12,) minutes. The names of the ten persons must be provided at the time the representative registers to speak and those ten (10) persons must be present in the Council Chamber when the matter is called. The ten (10) persons shall stand and be recognized by the Chair before the representative is allowed to address the City Council. A person counted as one of the ten individuals represented shall not be permitted to speak on the same subject. If the representative fails to list the names of ten (10) persons when he or she registers to speak or the ten (10) persons are not present in the Council Chamber when their names are called by the Chair, the representative's time to speak shall be limited to three (3) minutes. At the discretion of the Chair, the Chair may extend the time allotted to a speaker or may reduce the time allotted to each speaker to we() mifw4esfor such reasons as the time allocated for the meeting, the number and complexity of agenda items, or the number of persons wishing to address the City Council. Each speaker who requires the assistance of a translator to addresses the Chair and Council Members shall be given at least twice the amount of time ivy a member of the public that does not require a translator. The representative speaker shall follow the same procedure set out in Subsection e., Individual Presentations on Posted Agenda Items. (Revised by Resolution 3978-03- 2011, 3/22/2011 and Resolution 4845-09-2017, 9/19/2017 effective 11/30/2017) g. Citizen Presentations: Persons wishing to address the City Council about an item that is not otherwise posted on the City Council Meeting agenda and who have registered as required by this Section 544 will be permitted to speak under the agenda item entitled "Citizen Presentations." The Chair shall have the discretion to call for all or a portion of the citizen presentations to be made under that agenda item earlier or later in the meeting. Responses to a citizen's presentation by the City Council and staff shall be in accordance with Texas Open Meetings Act requirements. If a citizen or City Council member raises a subject that has not been included in the public notice for the City Council Meeting, a response may consist only of a statement of specific factual information or a recitation of existing policy. The City Council shall not discuss or take action relative to any public comments made during the citizen presentation portion of the City Council meeting. Presentations by individuals shall be limited to three (3) minutes. At the discretion of the Chair, the Chair may extend the time for a speaker to address the City Council or may reduce the time allotted to each speaker to two (2) minutes for such reasons as the time allocated for the meeting, the number and complexity of agenda items, or the number of persons wishing to address the City Council. Each speaker who requires the assistance of a translator to addresses the Chair and Council Members shall be given at least twice the amount of time given to a member of the public that does not require a translator. Presentation by a representative of an organized group consisting of a minimum of ten (10) persons shall be limited to six (6) minutes. The names of the ten persons shall be provided at the time the representative registers to speak and those ten (10) persons must be present in the Council Chamber when the matter is called. The ten (10) persons shall stand and be recognized by the Chair before the representative is allowed to address the City Council. A person counted as one of the ten (10) individuals represented shall not be permitted to speak on the same subject. If the representative fails to list the names of ten (10) persons when he or she registers to speak or the ten (10) persons are not present in the Council Chamber when their names are called by the Chair, the representative's time to speak shall be limited to three (3) minutes. At the discretion of the Chair, the Chair may reduce the three (3) minutes allotted to the speaker te two (2) " 4pates for such reasons as the time allocated for the meeting, the number and complexity of agenda items, or the number of persons wishing to address the City Council. Each speaker who requires the assistance of a translator to addresses the Chair and Council Members shall be given at least twice the amount of time given to a member of the public that does not require a translator. The representative speaker shall follow the same procedure set out in Subsection e., Individual Presentations on Agenda Items. (Revised by Resolution No. 3242-08- 2005, 8/16/05 and Revised by Resolution No. 3978-03-2011, 3/22/11 and Revised by Resolution 4845-09-2017, 9/19/2017 effective 11/30/2017) h. Rules of Conduct All members of the public attending and/or speaking at a City Council Meeting are required to abide by the Council Rules of Procedure. (Revised by Resolution 4845- 09-2017, 9/19/2017 effective 11/30/2017)