Rules and Regulations for Public Meetings—Sunshine Act

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Pursuant to Section 710 of the Sunshine Act, the Board of Supervisors adopts this policy for the proper conduct and maintenance of order at all meetings. These rules and regulations control any meeting at which the Board of Supervisors conduct any Township business, which means the framing, preparation, making or enactment of laws, policy or regulations, the creation of liability by contract or otherwise or the adjudication of rights, duties and responsibilities, excluding all administrative actions.
 
So that the Board of Supervisors can effectively satisfy its requirements under the terms of the Second Class Township Code, and the Sunshine Act, the Board adopts the following:
 
The Township shall consider Township business at a public meeting, and the Board shall create an agenda, identifying the municipal business the Board will consider for official action.  Public comment shall address only the Township business included in that agenda, unless permitted otherwise by the Board of Supervisors.  The Board of Supervisors will consider inclusion of a request for consideration of Township business from anyone so long as that person submits a written request for the inclusion on the agenda of a public meeting, and the Township Secretary receives that request no closer than eight (8) days prior to any meeting.  The Board of Supervisors will determine whether or not that request constitutes Township business acceptable for that agenda.  The Board will consider any approved agenda item during the public comment stage of its meeting, and may limit the time of discussion of that agenda item as provided hereafter.  The Board will make copies of the agenda available for public review prior to any meeting.
 
The Board of Supervisors shall act on all Township business by majority vote so long as a quorum exists at any public meeting.  In the event the action is by roll call, the Secretary shall record each vote in the minutes.
 
The Chairman of the Board of Supervisors shall conduct all meetings and transact all official business, and in his or her absence, the Vice-Chairman shall conduct such affairs.  Any member of the Board may request a vote on any Township business.  The Chairman will preside over all meetings, and may allocate the available time among those residents requesting proper public comment on the agenda business.  The Chairman may prohibit and/or exclude any behavior or comment, which is scandalous, impertinent, improper or redundant comments, or any other action or behavior which is likely to disrupt or prevent the reasonable conduct of the Township business and/or meeting.
 
 
The Board shall keep written minutes of all open Township meetings.  The minutes shall include;

  1. The date, time and place of the meeting.
  2. The names of members present.
  3. The substance of all official actions and a record by individual member roll call votes taken.
  4. The names of all citizens who appeared officially and the subject of their testimony.

 
The Board of Supervisors shall conduct all meetings, unless modified by the Board for any meeting, as follows:
 

  1. Call to Order.
  2. Pledge of Allegiance.
  3. Public Comment; All persons providing acceptable public comment must provide his or her complete name and address. The Board may limit comments to residents of the Township. Unless extended by the Board, the total time allowed for public comment at each meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes.  If the Board determines that there is not sufficient time at a meeting for residents of the Township for all comments, the Board may defer the comment period to the next regular meeting or special meeting occurring in the advance of the next regular meeting. The Board will accept comments only for official Township business contained in the agenda.
  4. Administrative actions; the Board may defer all or some of these matters by action not required as a public meeting.
  5. Secretary’s Report.
  6. Treasurer’s Report; the Board will act on all business during a public meeting, but may sign checks and/or documents based upon that action at the conclusion of the meeting.
  7. Committee and Staff Reports
  8. Old business.
  9. New business.
  10. Adjournment.

 
Any person attending a Township meeting shall have the right to use the recording device to record the meetings so long as he or she satisfies the following;

  1. The use of lights and/or sound equipment may not interfere with the reasonable conduct of any meeting, or require the Township to utilize additional equipment to minimize the affect of such recording or lighting equipment.
  2. No lighting or sound equipment may cause any condition affecting any other individual’s ability to participate in a meeting.
  3. No recording may be used for any commercial purpose without the express written approval of any person participating in any meeting.
  4. The Township may designate the location and/or reasonable conditions the recording may occur.
  5. The operation of such recording and/or equipment shall not interrupt or interfere with the ordinary and regular activities of the meeting.

Pursuant to Section 710 of the Sunshine Act, the Board of Supervisors adopts this policy for the proper conduct and maintenance of order at all meetings. These rules and regulations control any meeting at which the Board of Supervisors conduct any Township business, which means the framing, preparation, making or enactment of laws, policy or regulations, the creation of liability by contract or otherwise or the adjudication of rights, duties and responsibilities, excluding all administrative actions.
 
So that the Board of Supervisors can effectively satisfy its requirements under the terms of the Second Class Township Code, and the Sunshine Act, the Board adopts the following:
 
The Township shall consider Township business at a public meeting, and the Board shall create an agenda, identifying the municipal business the Board will consider for official action.  Public comment shall address only the Township business included in that agenda, unless permitted otherwise by the Board of Supervisors.  The Board of Supervisors will consider inclusion of a request for consideration of Township business from anyone so long as that person submits a written request for the inclusion on the agenda of a public meeting, and the Township Secretary receives that request no closer than eight (8) days prior to any meeting.  The Board of Supervisors will determine whether or not that request constitutes Township business acceptable for that agenda.  The Board will consider any approved agenda item during the public comment stage of its meeting, and may limit the time of discussion of that agenda item as provided hereafter.  The Board will make copies of the agenda available for public review prior to any meeting.
 
The Board of Supervisors shall act on all Township business by majority vote so long as a quorum exists at any public meeting.  In the event the action is by roll call, the Secretary shall record each vote in the minutes.
 
The Chairman of the Board of Supervisors shall conduct all meetings and transact all official business, and in his or her absence, the Vice-Chairman shall conduct such affairs.  Any member of the Board may request a vote on any Township business.  The Chairman will preside over all meetings, and may allocate the available time among those residents requesting proper public comment on the agenda business.  The Chairman may prohibit and/or exclude any behavior or comment, which is scandalous, impertinent, improper or redundant comments, or any other action or behavior which is likely to disrupt or prevent the reasonable conduct of the Township business and/or meeting.
 
 
The Board shall keep written minutes of all open Township meetings.  The minutes shall include;

  1. The date, time and place of the meeting.
  2. The names of members present.
  3. The substance of all official actions and a record by individual member roll call votes taken.
  4. The names of all citizens who appeared officially and the subject of their testimony.

 
The Board of Supervisors shall conduct all meetings, unless modified by the Board for any meeting, as follows:
 

  1. Call to Order.
  2. Pledge of Allegiance.
  3. Public Comment; All persons providing acceptable public comment must provide his or her complete name and address. The Board may limit comments to residents of the Township. Unless extended by the Board, the total time allowed for public comment at each meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes.  If the Board determines that there is not sufficient time at a meeting for residents of the Township for all comments, the Board may defer the comment period to the next regular meeting or special meeting occurring in the advance of the next regular meeting. The Board will accept comments only for official Township business contained in the agenda.
  4. Administrative actions; the Board may defer all or some of these matters by action not required as a public meeting.
  5. Secretary’s Report.
  6. Treasurer’s Report; the Board will act on all business during a public meeting, but may sign checks and/or documents based upon that action at the conclusion of the meeting.
  7. Committee and Staff Reports
  8. Old business.
  9. New business.
  10. Adjournment.

 
Any person attending a Township meeting shall have the right to use the recording device to record the meetings so long as he or she satisfies the following;

  1. The use of lights and/or sound equipment may not interfere with the reasonable conduct of any meeting, or require the Township to utilize additional equipment to minimize the affect of such recording or lighting equipment.
  2. No lighting or sound equipment may cause any condition affecting any other individual’s ability to participate in a meeting.
  3. No recording may be used for any commercial purpose without the express written approval of any person participating in any meeting.
  4. The Township may designate the location and/or reasonable conditions the recording may occur.
  5. The operation of such recording and/or equipment shall not interrupt or interfere with the ordinary and regular activities of the meeting.