Citizens Communications

In order that the business of the Board may be conducted in a fair and orderly fashion, the Board Chair has set forth the following procedures for citizens to appear before the Board at its meetings. Such procedures are intended to maximize the benefits of public input and to avoid unfair discrimination among those seeking to express views. The Board reserves the right to amend and/or waive any or all of these procedures by majority vote of its members.

1. Individuals who wish to speak before the Board shall sign-up prior to the declared start time for Citizen’s Communication. The sign-up sheet is usually available 30 minutes before the start of the meeting in the Board Room, with the Board Coordinator.
2. Only individuals officially recognized by the Chair of the Board may speak.
3. Three minutes are allocated to each citizen who signs up to speak.  In the case where several citizens from the same organization wish to speak on a particular issue, the Board Chair may ask for the designation of a spokesperson or spokepersons. 
4. The use of profanity, obscenity, and/or otherwise offensive language shall be sufficient cause for the Chair of the Board to withdraw a person’s permission to address the Board.
5. Because Texas open-meeting laws forbid the Board from discussing matters which have not been specifically posted as planned agenda items, Board members will not directly respond to citizens’ communications about topics not set forth on the agenda for the meeting.

For more information regarding citizens communications, please contact the Coordinator of Board Afairs at 512-223-7613, or by email at esonen@austincc.edu.