Yampa Valley Electric Association

*Board Policy No. 2-1

SUBJECT: Public Attendance at and Participation in Board Meetings

OBJECTIVE: A. To provide guidelines regarding the attendance of the public at Board meetings.

B. To describe the times and circumstances in which the public may present comments and written materials to the Board.

C. To provide guidance to the Board Chairman.

1. All meetings of the Board are open to the members, consumers and the media.

The Board, by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the directors present, may go into closed executive session for consideration of documents or testimony given in confidence. The Board shall not make final policy decisions, adopt or approve any resolution, rule or regulation, take formal action, approve any contract, or take any action calling for the payment of money at any session which is closed to the members and consumers. Prior to the time the Board convenes in executive session, the Board shall announce the general topic of the executive session.

2. Each agenda for a regular meeting of the Board shall include an item for “Public Comment.” Any member of the public may present comment to the Board during Public Comment if first recognized by the presiding officer of the Board meeting, subject to the following limitations and practice:

A. Public comment may not exceed 3 minutes in length, unless otherwise permitted by the presiding officer or the affirmative consent of two-thirds of the directors present.

B. No more than 3 persons may provide comment in support of the same position on the same subject matter, unless otherwise permitted by the presiding officer or the affirmative consent of two-thirds of the directors present.

C. Comment may not be given until the person giving it has been recognized by the presiding Board officer. Each person giving comment shall stand during his or her presentation, and if a lectern or speaker’s dais is available, shall give such comment or testimony from the lectern or dais.

D. If overcrowded conditions become apparent, the presiding Board officer may temporarily adjourn the Board meeting to move to another location having sufficient room to accommodate the public in attendance. The meeting will reconvene at a time certain within 72 hours of such temporary adjournment. The presiding Board officer may also take reasonable actions during any Board meeting as necessary, to ensure continuance of an orderly meeting, proper decorum and to prevent undue burdens on the directors and orderly meeting, proper decorum and to prevent undue burdens on the directors and Association staff, consistent with maintenance of an open meeting.

E. Comment shall be presented in a courteous manner. Disorderly persons causing disruption to the business of the Board meeting may be excluded by order of the presiding Board officer at any time.

F. Signs, hand-out materials, and multi-media presentations shall not be presented to Board members except (i) with the affirmative consent of the presiding officer or with two-thirds consent of directors present at the meeting, or (ii) that written hand-out materials may be presented and given to directors during comment from the presenter if a copy of the material was given to the General Manager at least 10 working days prior to the Board meeting.

G. Comment from the public will not be taken by the Board during any other agenda item other than Public Comment, unless otherwise permitted by the presiding Board officer or with the two-thirds consent of directors present at the meeting. If a separate agenda item is desired, it must be scheduled with the General Manager at least 10 working days prior to the Board meeting for inclusion on the agenda. If public comment is so permitted, then the procedural rules under Paragraph 2, Subsection A to F above, shall apply.

3. The Board will not take any action or make any decision on matters which are the subject of comment during the Public Comment section of the meeting. The Board may schedule the topic of a public comment for inclusion on the agenda of a future Board meeting.

4. Each agenda for a regular meeting of the Board shall include the following statement:

PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURE: Public comments at a regular meeting of the YVEA board may be no longer than 3 minutes in length and are welcome at two different times during the course of the Board meeting: (1) during the Public Comment section of the agenda, and (2) on any scheduled agenda item, but only with the prior consent of the presiding Board officer or two-thirds consent of directors present at the meeting. Comments must be courteous and given only after the speaker has been recognized by the presiding Board officer. Written material may not be given to directors unless first supplied to the General Manager at least 10 working days prior to the regular meeting. The Board will not take any action or make any decision at that meeting on matters spoken of during Public Comment.

5. Comment from the public will not be taken by the Board during any special meeting of the Board, unless otherwise permitted at the outset of such meeting by the affirmative consent of two-thirds of the directors present. If public comment is permitted, then comment shall be made only during the relevant agenda items and the procedural rules under Paragraph 2, Subsection A to F above, shall apply.

Date Adopted: November 08, 1962

Date Revised: May 20, 1966

October 16, 1981

September 16, 1983

June 16, 2007