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• Process - Public Hearings <br /> Since a public hearing is a more formal procedure and often requires certain procedures <br /> and actions to be legal, the meeting rules are changed accordingly. <br /> The primary aim of a public hearing is to take input from the public. To accomplish this in <br /> the most effective manner, the Mayor will introduce the hearing with an explanation of the <br /> issues. The Mayor will give this explanation or a person designated by the Mayor. The use <br /> of explanatory visual aids is encouraged. <br /> Following the explanation, input from the public will be taken. Prior to accepting input, <br /> though, the Mayor will state the areas where input will be appropriate, the maximum time <br /> to be allotted to any individual presenter and any other procedural rules deemed <br /> appropriate to guarantee that all concerned parties have a fair and adequate opportunity to <br /> be heard. <br /> All individuals wishing to speak must fill out and submit identification form and speak into <br /> a recording microphone. Individuals not wishing to speak in public may provide a written <br /> statement. The Council may take up to 15 minutes to review written statements presented <br /> at the meeting. If the Council decides not to act on the issue at the public hearing meeting, <br /> it may by majority vote extend the time where written input will be taken to a day not later <br /> than 1 week before the next meeting where a deciding vote is planned. <br /> • All speakers are expected to be business-like, to-the-point and courteous. Anyone not <br /> abiding by these rules will be considered to be out of order. <br /> The Council will refrain from initiating a discussion during the pubic input phase of the <br /> hearing except to clarify points brought up. <br /> Once the public testimony phase is complete, the Mayor will announce the public hearing <br /> to be closed and the Council will revert back to its open discussion mode of operation. <br /> From this point on, public input will only be appropriate when solicited by the Council. <br /> It shall be the intent of the Council to vote on the issue at the same meeting as the public <br /> hearing and as close in time to the public hearing as possible. Should it be necessary to <br /> defer voting until a later date, the procedure will be clearly explained to the audience. <br /> If the motion contains conditions, as may occur in conditional use or variance requests, <br /> those conditions will be conveyed in writing to the requestor. <br /> If the public hearing is the result of a resident request and that request is denied in whole <br /> or in part, reasons of fact supporting the denial will be made part of the public record. <br /> If the public hearing is to set an assessment rate, the assessment formula(s) under <br /> discussion cannot be altered. This implies that the Council has fully discussed any <br /> formulas prior to the hearing and that the appropriate legal, fiscal and engineering <br /> consultants have passed on formula(s) viability, legality, and feasibility. <br /> • <br /> -4- <br />