The Eastman city council passed an ordinance at their Monday, November 9 meeting that will govern how council meetings are conducted.
According to the ordinance, Comments from the public will be invited at each city council meeting. Comments from the public will be invited on each agenda item, before a final vote is taken on the agenda item. At the close of each council meeting (following the adjournment of the meeting), the chairman or other person presiding at the meeting will ask for and permit comments on any subject, provided that no action will be taken by the city council, except in cases of emergency, on any item not appearing on the agenda.
The ordinance goes on to say that members of the city council and other persons desiring to speak at a meeting of the city council, will obtain recognition of the chairman before speaking. Unless otherwise ordered by a majority of the members of the city council present at a meeting, no person can speak to the city council for more than five minutes on any one topic. Council members are permitted to speak twice on each topic, but their time limitation on each occasion shall be limited to five minutes. The same person may address the city council for five minutes each on more than one topic. When more than one person desires to speak on any one topic, then the total time for each side of the topic (pro and con) will not exceed 15 minutes. When any person has the floor, he or she will not be interrupted by any other person except the chairman on points of order.
The ordinance also addressed disruptions, saying that nothing herein will permit any person or group to disrupt any meeting of the city council. Any person disrupting any meeting will be advised by the chairman, the sergeant at arms or any police officer to cease the disruption. If the person fails to cease the disruption, the person may be ejected from the meeting and any person so disrupting a meeting shall be fined not less than 25 dollars nor more than 500 dollars for each offense.
