Citizen Involvement at Board Meetings

Citizen Comments & Involvement Are Welcome

The Board of Directors of Evergreen Park & Recreation District believes a regular and active dialogue with interested citizens is vital to effective and informed management of the District. This type of regular interchange helps to ensure projects and priorities of the District most closely match with those of the broad public. Citizens are always welcome and encouraged to attend any and all meetings of the Board.

A convenient way for citizens to engage the Board of Directors is during the Board's regular monthly meetings and special meetings. There are several different ways citizens can participate during these Board meetings

Citizens Comments During Discussion of Specific Agenda Items

Citizens may provide comments on any given agenda item during the meeting. These comments may be at the invitation of the Board or staff because the citizen has been involved in helping work a specific issue or project, or a citizen may just offer comments because of general interest. Citizens are encouraged to be concise with these comments, and keep them to a maximum of 5 minutes each. Citizens are asked to not reiterate comments already made by other citizens.

Citizen-Initiated New Business Items (Preferred Method)

The process for a Citizen initiated New Business Item is for the Citizen to submit the issue or topic in writing to the Executive Director. The Executive Director and staff will conduct any necessary research concerning the subject matter. If the staff determines the matter should be presented to the Board, staff will provide the Board with a recommendation placement of the item on a future Board meeting agenda. Once the Board has determined to add the matter to a future agenda, a will be selected, and staff will advise the Citizen and request hard copies of the presentation materials for distribution to Board Members and District staff. The Citizen presenting the matter at the Board meeting will be allotted 15 minutes on the agenda.

If a Citizen desires to initiate a New Business Item directly at a Board meeting without prior notice, the following stipulations will be made:

• Presentation must be made during the General Public Comment portion of the agenda.
• Presentation is restricted to a maximum of 10 minutes.
• Only 1 speaker is allowed on the matter.
• If the Citizen has items to present (i.e. handouts, maps, survey data), he/she must provide the Recording Secretary with a clean copy. The preferred method of presentation material is paper form in order to be distributed to the Board Members and District staff.

Please note that board action is not expected to be taken on issues raised during:

• General Comments by Citizens
• New Business Items initiated by Citizens directly at a Board meeting without prior notice

General Comments By Citizens

The Board regularly reserves time on the agenda for Citizen's comments of a general nature (the General Public Comment Section of meeting agenda). Citizens are encouraged to be concise with these comments, and keep them to a maximum of 5 minutes each. Citizens are asked to not reiterate comments already made by other citizens.

Regardless of the types of comments offered by citizens as discussed above, the Chair always reserves the right to limit time and discussion in order to expeditiously move through the agenda during the evening to fulfill the business needs of the District.