The Board of Trustees of the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library welcomes public input in its deliberations. The Board further recognizes both the importance of public comment on issues before the Board and the ability of members of the community to express their views on matters of interest to the library.
The Board is committed to conducting its meetings in a civil, orderly, efficient and productive manner designed to allow the Board’s regular agenda to be completed in a reasonable period of time while allowing a fair and adequate opportunity for public input to be considered. Consequently, public participation at Board meetings will be governed by the following principles:
Public participation at Board meetings is welcome during the public comment portions of the meeting as indicated in the agenda. Public comments must relate to action items outlined in the agenda. At all other times during a Board meeting, the audience will not comment unless recognized by the President of the Board (or other presiding officer).
If a resident of Hancock County, Ohio wishes to participate they shall register at least twenty-four hours in advance by submitting a Public Participation Form or give notice of their name, address, and group affiliation to the Public Relations Coordinator at hrhoads@findlaylibrary.org or 419-422-1712. **Public Participation Forms may be requested in person at the library or by email at hrhoads@findlaylibrary.org.
Individuals may not register others to speak during public participation. No individual may cede their allotted speaking time to another individual.
Participants must first be recognized by the presiding officer and will be requested to preface their comments by an announcement of their name, address, and group affiliation (if and when appropriate).
Each person addressing the Board is limited to three minutes.
No participant may speak more than once.
All statements shall be presented from the lectern and directed to the presiding officer; no person may address or question Board members individually.
Audio or video recordings are permitted. The person operating the recorder shall contact the Library Director prior to the Board meeting and must agree to the placement of the equipment and to abide by the following conditions:
No obstructions are created between the Board and the audience.
No interviews are conducted in the meeting room while the Board is in session.
No commentary, adjustment of equipment, or positioning of operators is made that may distract either the Board or members of the audience while the Board is in session.
No disruption of the meeting.
The presiding officer may:
Interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant's session when they make comments that are repetitive, obscene, too lengthy, or threatening (i.e., statements meant to frighten or intimidate one or more specified persons into believing that they will be seriously harmed by the speaker);
Request any individual to stop speaking and/or leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum or is disruptive to the conduct and/or orderly progress of the meeting;
Request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the conduct and/or orderly progress of the meeting;
Call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action;
Waive these rules.
The portion of the meeting during which the participation of the public is invited shall be limited to thirty minutes.
Approved by the Board of Trustees: December 2023