PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
The Alcorn County Board of Supervisors acknowledges and agrees with the public policy of the State of Mississippi as expressed by the Legislature, that “the formation and determination of public policy is public business and shall be conducted at open meetings except as otherwise provided [in the Open Meetings Act].” Miss. Code Ann. §25-41-1. The Mississippi Supreme Court has recognized that while citizens have the right to attend a public body’s meetings and to see and hear the deliberations in the decision making process, citizens have no right to actively participate in the public meeting. Hinds County Board of Supervisors v. Common Cause of Mississippi, 551 So.2d 107 (Miss. 1989). Therefore, the Legislature has determined that, “Any public body may make and enforce reasonable rules and regulations for the conduct of persons attending its meetings.” Miss. Code Ann. §25-41-9.
In accordance with these principles, the Alcorn County Board of Supervisors has determined that it is desirable to institute certain reasonable rules and procedures to be followed by any person wishing to address the Board on a matter of public concern. Such procedures shall be as follows:
1. Any person wishing to appear before the Board of Supervisors to discuss a matter of County business or a matter of concern to the County must make a request to the Board of Supervisors office to be placed on the Agenda no later than noon on the Wednesday prior to the Monday meeting at which the person wishes to speak, and shall provide the following information with such request:
a) A brief written statement identifying the substance of the presentation or issue to be discussed;
b) A copy of all handouts, exhibits and supporting documentation to be presented at the meeting; and
c) The name of the individual making the presentation, and if the presentation is made on behalf of a group or entity, the name of such group or entity.
2. The Board of Supervisors reserves the right, in its sole discretion, (i) to permit the presentation to be placed on the meeting Agenda for consideration, (ii) to deny the request to make the presentation, (iii) to set a special meeting of the Board to hear the matter if the Board determines that discussion of the same will require a significant amount of time, (iv) to limit the scope of the issues or matters to be presented, or (v) to make any other determination necessary for the efficient and effective conduct of public business at the meeting.
3. In the event that a request to make a presentation is made on behalf of a group of people or an organization, one person from such group or organization shall be designated as the spokesperson to make the presentation, and only that person will be permitted to address the Board, unless the Board determines that it wishes to hear from other individuals from the group or organization.
4. Because regular Board Meetings involve the discussion of many issues of public business, presentations from citizens appearing before the Board shall be limited to five (5) minutes. The Board reserves the right to extend or shorten the time for presentation in its discretion.
5. The Board reserves the right to take action on any issue presented to the Board, to table the matter for further deliberation at a later time, to request additional information on the matter, or to take no action.
6. All presentations to the Board must concern Alcorn County business matters or a legitimate matter of public concern to Alcorn County, in the determination of the Board.