How to interact with Public Participation?
Managing Public Participation: Council Meeting Procedures for Transparency and Safety in Montana
Well-‐established procedures and an agenda without surprises will usually produce a smooth council meeting if, and only if, the participating public believes that the council members are being open and fair with them. Even so, it is a virtual certainty that smooth commission meeting procedures will not be sufficient to placate every citizen. It is also important to remember that most of the people, who attend a council meeting, especially those meetings involving a formal public hearing, are there because they are concerned and often angry about an issue that the council is required and expected to handle. Thus, if before proceeding, the presiding officer will take the time to explain council procedures for audience participation and whether or not the council is going to make a decision at this meeting, the audience will know what to expect and will, more than likely, wait patiently to participate. Additionally, council members should refrain from direct interaction with the audience, especially during public
hearings. All presentations or comments from the audience should be directed solely to the presiding officer. This not‐so‐simple-to‐enforce but nonetheless important procedure will have the beneficial effect of depersonalizing and reducing the tension of the public discussion. The presiding officer should make this clear at the outset and the commissioners should reinforce it by refraining from direct engagement with the audience verbally or by mannerism, facial
expression or gesture. Curiously, this formalized and unnatural style will usually improve the quality of public input, especially on the most contentious issues. If things still get out of hand, the presiding officer should never be reluctant to call a brief recess to permit a cooling off period for the audience or, in extreme cases, to adjourn the meeting in the interest of public
safety. In a public meeting, the person with the gavel must always be conscious that a large number of angry or frustrated people in a confined space is an inherently volatile and potentially even dangerous situation.
hearings. All presentations or comments from the audience should be directed solely to the presiding officer. This not‐so‐simple-to‐enforce but nonetheless important procedure will have the beneficial effect of depersonalizing and reducing the tension of the public discussion. The presiding officer should make this clear at the outset and the commissioners should reinforce it by refraining from direct engagement with the audience verbally or by mannerism, facial
expression or gesture. Curiously, this formalized and unnatural style will usually improve the quality of public input, especially on the most contentious issues. If things still get out of hand, the presiding officer should never be reluctant to call a brief recess to permit a cooling off period for the audience or, in extreme cases, to adjourn the meeting in the interest of public
safety. In a public meeting, the person with the gavel must always be conscious that a large number of angry or frustrated people in a confined space is an inherently volatile and potentially even dangerous situation.