Mayor Michaels Reviews Standing Rules Of Order, Fulton Residents Express Various Concerns During Common Council Meeting
by Kassadee Bradshaw | June 9, 2021 11:11 am
FULTON – During the Common Council meeting held last night, June 8, members of the public brought up various issues to the council, including the guidelines for public comment.
Before the public comment session began, Mayor Deana Michaels clarified the standing rules of order, which were adopted in June 2012.
During the May 4 Common Council public session[1], Fulton resident Frank Castiglia Jr. requested the council to lift the 3 minute time limit for the public to speak, claiming he believed the time limit suppresses the First Amendment right to public speaking. He asked the council to vote on the matter.
According to the Department of State Open Meetings Law, while meetings held by public bodies must be open to the public, it does not require that body to offer an opportunity for the public to be heard, and the right to speak at a public meeting may be limited to the members of the public body itself.
A public body may permit participation and may provide rules for speakers at meetings. Michaels said she also reviewed the New York Conference of Mayors handbook, which echoed that information.
Michaels then went over the current guidelines for members of the public who choose to speak during public comment. This includes: a speaker must be at the front of the room, state their name, address and organization they are affiliated with, may not yield any remaining time to another speaker, all remarks must be addressed to the city council as a body and not individual members, and observe commonly accepted rules of courtesy.
“The council determined that they were going to maintain the rules of order, that there was no need to vote on any change or to bring any type of recommendation – that the rules of order will remain in place as such and these will be available on every agenda going forward,” Michaels said. “There will be a 30 minute public session prior to the Common Council meeting, which shall commence at 7 and end at 7:30. Each member of the public wishing to speak shall be allotted the 3 minute time limit to speak to the mayor and the Common Council.”
During public session, no one is permitted to use profanity, engage in name-calling, or discuss any city officer or employee or any agency employee under direct supervision of the Common Council. No one is allowed to interrupt council proceedings.
Public comment session:
Kelly Weaver, president of Friends of Fulton Parks, spoke on behalf of the organization and inquired about the process they need to go through to continue with an agreement made with previous Mayor Ronald Woodward Sr. and his administration.
A member of the Friends of Fulton Parks, Colleen O’Brien, also spoke in regards to this, expressing her sadness that they could not hold an annual cleanup because they needed approval from the city.
Steve Ward brought up that he would like to get a First Ward banner to sponsor the little league team at Foster Park. He also discussed the issue of speeding and weight limit violations on Hannibal Street, and said he believes the police department may be the issue. He said he called the police department and was told that the Butler garbage trucks have every right to use that road. He said he also followed a police officer on Hannibal Street and watched him as a few different heavy trucks and tractor trailers drove past without being stopped. Ward also brought up road issues.
Matthew Dunzik expressed his concern with one of the city personnel harassing him and he has not been able to contact anyone at the municipal building in regards to it. Mayor Michaels recommended that he have his lawyer contact the city.
Frank Castiglia spoke on the matter of the 3 minute limit during public session. He found concern that it was decided to keep the limit as is “behind closed doors” instead of voting in front of the public in a transparent manner. He said he had requested the council to vote so the public could see which councilors voted for or against allowing more time at the podium. He also brought up the city’s unappropriated fund balance, plans for the American Rescue Plan recovery money, and getting a Tesla charging station in the city.
Another resident expressed her sadness in seeing graffiti around the city, a covered fire hydrant, and clogged drains in the streets.
An additional story with the agenda items and the polling of the council can be found here[2].
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Endnotes:- May 4 Common Council public session: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/community-members-fulton-common-council-mayor-michaels-discuss-numerous-issues-during-council-meeting-public-comment/
- here: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/fulton-common-council-approves-agenda-items-special-meeting-scheduled-for-june-18/
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Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/mayor-michaels-reviews-standing-rules-of-order-fulton-residents-express-various-concerns-during-common-council-meeting/
Mayor Michaels Reviews Standing Rules Of Order, Fulton Residents Express Various Concerns During Common Council Meeting
by Kassadee Bradshaw | June 9, 2021 11:11 am
FULTON – During the Common Council meeting held last night, June 8, members of the public brought up various issues to the council, including the guidelines for public comment.
Before the public comment session began, Mayor Deana Michaels clarified the standing rules of order, which were adopted in June 2012.
During the May 4 Common Council public session[1], Fulton resident Frank Castiglia Jr. requested the council to lift the 3 minute time limit for the public to speak, claiming he believed the time limit suppresses the First Amendment right to public speaking. He asked the council to vote on the matter.
According to the Department of State Open Meetings Law, while meetings held by public bodies must be open to the public, it does not require that body to offer an opportunity for the public to be heard, and the right to speak at a public meeting may be limited to the members of the public body itself.
A public body may permit participation and may provide rules for speakers at meetings. Michaels said she also reviewed the New York Conference of Mayors handbook, which echoed that information.
Michaels then went over the current guidelines for members of the public who choose to speak during public comment. This includes: a speaker must be at the front of the room, state their name, address and organization they are affiliated with, may not yield any remaining time to another speaker, all remarks must be addressed to the city council as a body and not individual members, and observe commonly accepted rules of courtesy.
“The council determined that they were going to maintain the rules of order, that there was no need to vote on any change or to bring any type of recommendation – that the rules of order will remain in place as such and these will be available on every agenda going forward,” Michaels said. “There will be a 30 minute public session prior to the Common Council meeting, which shall commence at 7 and end at 7:30. Each member of the public wishing to speak shall be allotted the 3 minute time limit to speak to the mayor and the Common Council.”
During public session, no one is permitted to use profanity, engage in name-calling, or discuss any city officer or employee or any agency employee under direct supervision of the Common Council. No one is allowed to interrupt council proceedings.
Public comment session:
Kelly Weaver, president of Friends of Fulton Parks, spoke on behalf of the organization and inquired about the process they need to go through to continue with an agreement made with previous Mayor Ronald Woodward Sr. and his administration.
A member of the Friends of Fulton Parks, Colleen O’Brien, also spoke in regards to this, expressing her sadness that they could not hold an annual cleanup because they needed approval from the city.
Steve Ward brought up that he would like to get a First Ward banner to sponsor the little league team at Foster Park. He also discussed the issue of speeding and weight limit violations on Hannibal Street, and said he believes the police department may be the issue. He said he called the police department and was told that the Butler garbage trucks have every right to use that road. He said he also followed a police officer on Hannibal Street and watched him as a few different heavy trucks and tractor trailers drove past without being stopped. Ward also brought up road issues.
Matthew Dunzik expressed his concern with one of the city personnel harassing him and he has not been able to contact anyone at the municipal building in regards to it. Mayor Michaels recommended that he have his lawyer contact the city.
Frank Castiglia spoke on the matter of the 3 minute limit during public session. He found concern that it was decided to keep the limit as is “behind closed doors” instead of voting in front of the public in a transparent manner. He said he had requested the council to vote so the public could see which councilors voted for or against allowing more time at the podium. He also brought up the city’s unappropriated fund balance, plans for the American Rescue Plan recovery money, and getting a Tesla charging station in the city.
Another resident expressed her sadness in seeing graffiti around the city, a covered fire hydrant, and clogged drains in the streets.
An additional story with the agenda items and the polling of the council can be found here[2].
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Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/mayor-michaels-reviews-standing-rules-of-order-fulton-residents-express-various-concerns-during-common-council-meeting/