Public Participation Procedures at Library Board Meetings

The Waterloo Public Library Board of Trustees conducts its meetings in public and welcomes the attendance of community members.  It is important to note that while meetings are conducted in public, it is not a public meeting. In other words, community members and/or media representatives who attend act as observers who may only actively participate during the designated time for public comment. 

The agenda includes time at each meeting for public comments.  In order for the Board to fulfill its obligation to complete the scheduled agenda and conduct library business in an effective and efficient manner, a maximum of 30 minutes of public participation will be permitted.  Community members wishing to speak to the board must abide by the following rules of participation. 

Each speaker will verbally state or sign in with their name, address, and phone number. 

Each speaker will be allowed a maximum of three (3) minutes to address the board until the allotted time is up. 

Should the number of speaker requests exceed the allotted time in the meeting, the presiding officer may limit speakers to two (2) minutes to accommodate as many speakers as possible.

Speakers may not yield their time to another individual as to allow someone more than three (3) minutes or the allotted time. 

It is possible that not all speakers requesting time will be allowed to speak.  Anyone not allowed to speak will be given priority for the next Board meeting. 

If a community member wishes to share additional comments, or did not have the opportunity to speak due to time constraints, they may put their comments in writing.  All communication with the Board of Trustees and Library Director is public information. 

Community members will not be allowed to comment during other portions of the meeting unless comments are specifically requested by the Board.  Comments from community members will not change the scheduled meeting agenda. 

All comments shall be addressed to the Board of Trustees as a body and not to any Trustee or staff member specifically.  All comments must be relevant to the operation of the Library.  The presiding officer shall rule on the relevance of public comments. 

The Board will not respond at this meeting to questions, requests for information, or requests for action.  An appropriate response may be made later, after Board members have sufficient opportunity to consider and deliberate on the issue. 

Behavior or comments that are abusive, personal, impertinent, irrelevant, loud, threatening, slanderous, or profane will not be tolerated.