Re: Please forward to anyone, Visioning Our Future & the Great Statewide Occupation and General Assembly

Lea Terhune

Burlington

http://wards4and7npa.blogspot.com/ 

I'm asking for support at the Burlington Board of Finance meeting, Nov 28, 5pm Rm 12. In VT, we have Right to Know, Right to Be Heard laws, but the mayor ignores them and forces citizens who wish to be heard to beg, plead, and then he says NO. To be heard, I had to interrupt, insist, demand to be heard. Then board members sat with their backs to me, and the mayor stared at his watch. I need your help. I need a Mic Check to state the following:

MEETINGS OF A PUBLIC BODY MUST BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

• Public must be given notice of the meeting. 

• Public must be allowed to attend the meeting and be heard. 

• Minutes of the meeting must be taken. 

THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO BE HEARD

At an open meeting the public must be given a reasonable opportunity to comment on matters considered by the board, subject to reasonable rules set by the chair of the board. 

THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO SPEAK  

Every public meeting must make time for the board to take public comment.1 V.S.A. § 

312(h).  The subjects may be related to the agenda or not.  Many boards allow public 

comment at the start of the meeting.  Others place it as the final agenda item.  Some 

boards allow public comment whenever anyone present has something to add to the 

discussion.  Whenever it occurs, public comment is an important time in the life of a 

board.  It is the one opportunity that members of the public have to speak openly about 

their concerns.

Lea