Call to the Public

Members of the general public are required to complete a Statement Request Form available at the sign-in table if they would like to make a statement during the Call to the Public. A chosen member of the board will review the completed forms and call upon individual members of the public to speak in an orderly manner. The governing board may require members of the general public with the same viewpoint on a given concern (with no new comments) to select a designated spokesperson. A three-minute time period will be allotted fairly to each member of the public, unless otherwise stated at the beginning of the call to the public.

An individual board member may respond to criticism, ask staff to review an item or ask that an item be placed on a future agenda, but he or she may not dialogue with the member of the public or collectively discuss, consider, or decide an item that is not listed on the agenda (A.R.S. § 38-431.01(H); Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. I99-006).

Note: These three responses must take place at the conclusion of the call to the public.

The public has a right to:  Attend, Listen, Tape record, Videotape.

The public does not have a right to:  Speak (unless within the permitted time), Disrupt.