Chair & Vice Chair Training

Chair & Vice Chair Training August 22, 2018

Agenda • The Process • Duties of the Chair • Public Comment & Speaking During Debate • Agendas & Notice of Meetings • Closed Sessions • Motions • Department Head Responsibilities During Meetings • Public Hearing Requirements • Keeping Speakers on Task • Tips for Running Efficient Meetings

Conducting Committee Meetings • Committees operate under the same rules of procedures as the Board. • However, more informal than the Board • Vice Chair becomes responsible if the Chair is unavailable. Vice Chair then follows all rules accordingly. • NOTE: Committee in this presentation refers to Committees, Boards, and Commissions.

The Process

The Process • Presiding officer calls the meeting to order • Quorum • Rules of Order = majority of committee members • Discussion occurs when a member is recognized by the chair and obtains the floor • Member can make a motion • Another member seconds the motion • Chair restates the motion • All remarks through chair – not the body • See page 5 in Rules of Order for order of business to follow

Chair Duties of the Chair, Chair Speaking in Debate & Bringing Business Before Assembly

Duties of the Chair • All persons at the meeting must obey the presiding officer (Chair ) • Chair enforces the rules relating to debate, order & decorum • Announces issues & keeps meeting on track • Restates motion to place before the body & for clarity • Recognizes members who want to speak • Asks for votes on each side and announces the outcome

Public Comment & Speaking During Debate

Public Comment • If on the Agenda, public comment must be allowed • Time to receive information from the public • During the period of public comment, a governmental body may discuss any matter raised by the public. Wis. Stat. 19.83(2) • CAUTION: if public raises subject not on the notice, advisable to limit discussion of subject and defer any extensive deliberation to a later meeting where notice can be given. Body may not take formal action on any subject raised in public comment, unless on the notice.

Chair Duties During Debate • Remind members to confine remarks to the merits of the question. • Must never interrupt because s/he knows more about the matter than the speaker • Recognizes members who want to speak • Responds to requests and rules on points of order • Allows discussion with a reference to the pending question, not off topic • Under no circumstances question the motives of another member • Controls speaking time limits and number of times can speak (Committee level rules are less strict.)

Speaking During Debate • Allow people to speak during debate? • It is up to the Chair • Public comment is very important to the legislative process. It is most appropriate at the committee level • Be careful not to lose control of the meeting if individuals are allowed to speak outside of the public comment section • If there are several individuals that wish to speak during public comment, and you are going to allow people to speak during the debate, be sure to inform the entire group • Don’t want some people to leave thinking they can’t provide input any longer, while others stay and are allowed to speak again

Agendas, Notice & Closed Sessions What is in them and who is responsible for them?

Agendas Chair Department Head Assists with pending items to be addressed Can type up the agenda and distribute May receive agenda item requests – forwards to Chair for determination Posts the notices for the public meeting • Determines what is on the agenda • Must follow the format for agendas – cannot be vague or broad in description of items • Receives requests to place items on the agenda and determines if will be heard • Must ensure that enough time is given for the meeting to be posted timely – notice must be posted at least 24 hours before the meeting

Notice • Notices must be reasonably specific regarding agenda items so public will be aware of what will occur at the upcoming meeting • As a general rule, the Attorney General has advised posting notices in at least 3 places. • When department heads post the Notice, it gets sent to local newspapers, libraries, and municipalities. In addition, departments will post the notice on their bulletin boards and on the County website • The ultimate responsibility for posting the Notice is the Chair of the Committee. • If allowing public comment, it must be an agenda item. Public comment is not required, however.

Closed sessions • Must contact Corporation Counsel – need to determine if an exemption to Open Meetings Law which allows a closed session • Wis. Stat. §19.85(1) thirteen exemptions which permit (do not require) a governmental body to convene in closed session • Should be the exception rather than the rule to go into closed session • Cannot exclude elected or appointed member of the governmental body • Law gives wide discretion to governmental body to admit anyone whose presence the body determines is necessary

Motions I make a motion….

Motions • Main motion is the only one that brings business before the assembly • Maker of the motion may not withdraw motion once stated by the chair, it is the property of the body • Variety of secondary motions • Amendments • Lay on the table • Previous question • Privileged Motions – immediate importance • Adjourn • Recess • Incidental motions – parliamentary situation • Point of order • Suspend the rules

Motion to Lay on the Table • Temporarily sets aside the matter with intent to take up later in the meeting • Adopting halts consideration without debate • Is out of order if no other urgent matter

Motion to Postpone to a Time Certain • Motion by which pending action can be delayed • Must be to a time specific • Definite day, meeting, hour or until after a certain event • Motion to just postpone is out of order

Motion to Postpone Indefinitely • Motion used when the body declines to take a position • Adoption kills the motion • Avoids a direct vote on the question • Useful in disposing of a badly chosen main motion that cannot be either adopted or rejected without undesirable consequences

Moving the Previous Question • Motion used to bring the assembly to an immediate vote • Requires 2/3 vote • Non-debatable • Often mistake for a “call for the Question” • No one person can close debate • Not proper to shut off debate against the will of even one member who wishes to speak and has not exhausted his right to debate

Point of Order • Member makes statement when feels rules of assembly are being violated • Takes precedence over pending question • Does not require a second • Is not debatable • Ruled upon by the chair

Motion to Adjourn • Situations in which adjournment can take place without a motion to adjourn are: • When the hour adopted for adjournment has arrived. The chair announces the fact, and unless you or someone else is pretty quick to move to set aside the orders of the day, the meeting may be adjourned by declaration. • When you reach the end of the agenda. The chair may just ask whether there’s any more business; if you don’t speak up to make that motion you’ve been thinking about, and if no one else speaks up, the presiding officer can declare the meeting adjourned. • It is a privileged motion • Must be seconded. • Can’t be debated. Can’t be amended. • Must have a majority vote.

Department Head Responsibilities During meetings

Agenda Discussion Only versus Action Item Draft Resolutions Resolutions versus Motions of Support Process of County Approval Minutes Handouts Content Expert Department Head Responsibilities At committee meetings

Department Head Responsibilities At committee meetings

Public Hearing Requirements It’s the law….

Public Meeting or Public Hearing • The distinction is a matter of purpose. • A Public Meetingis for the purpose of conducting the business of the body and may or may not involve opportunities for public involvement. • A Public Hearingis held for the express purpose of gathering testimony or comment from the public regarding a pending application, petition or policy proposal. • Note: A public hearing can occur as part of a regular or special public meeting or, in some circumstances, can be entirely separate from a public meeting. Matt Payette

When is Public Hearing Meeting Required? • When specifically identified by law (Wis. Stat, Administrative Rule, County Ordinance or Policy) • Adopting certain plans • Comprehensive Plan 66.1001(4)(d) • Watershed Plan 281.65(7) • Adopting / amending certain ordinances • Zoning Ordinance 59.59 (5)(e)2. • Adopting certain policies • Municipal (County) Budgets 69.50(3) • When a body desires public input on a sensitive or controversial policy issue. • Note: Public Hearings normally occur at the committee level.

General Public Hearing Format (Zoning) Standard preliminary matters (call to order, roll, agenda etc.) Open public hearing. [chair] Overview of the Topic/Issue. [staff] Request a statement by the applicant. [chair] Read the staff report. [staff] Report related written correspondence as input. [staff] Disclose any ex parte communication. [committee] Request statements of witnesses/public either pro or con. [chair/committee] Request a response by the applicant (or after each witness). [chair/committee] Request a response by staff. [chair/committee] Ask any final questions. [committee] Close the record and the hearing. [chair] Entertain motion. [chair] Note: The Public Hearing should be recorded to ensure record is preserved. Any ex parte communication needs to be disclosed by committee.

Public Hearing Notice Contents Name of the governmental body that will meet. Date, time and location of hearing. 3. Name of the applicant, appellant or petitioner. 4. Location of land involved. 5. General description of the proposal, application or petition. 6. Identify a process for public to present testimony at the hearing or in writing prior to a specified deadline. 7. Provide contact for further information and the location where the record may be reviewed.

Public Hearing Review • Public Hearings are mostly Statute / Administrative Code dependent and may vary in; • Purpose • Process • Notice of Publication Required (Class I, II, III etc.)

Keeping Speakers on Task Is it possible?

Keeping Speakers on Task Agenda Specific Communications Supervisor / Member Meetings Attended

Tips For running an efficient and effective meeting

$Tips$ • Planning of Agenda • Hot Topics • Public Comment • Walking Quorum • Voting • Closed Session

Chair & Vice Chair Training