Maricopa County board meetings are set for a shake-up with proposed rules aiming to squash the recent rise in raucous antics. The Board of Supervisors will chew over a new resolution come April 10 that seeks to instill a sense of decorum during public congregations in a bid to keep things civil and focused on county matters. As per an announcement from the county, attendees stepping out of line could find themselves booted from proceedings.
Chairman Jack Sellers aired his grievances about the current state of affairs, saying "Unfortunately, we’ve had an escalation in disorderly and disrespectful behavior at board meetings." He pointed out, according to a statement on the county's website, that welcome public comment that should be respectful and on topic is being drowned out by distractions. The county’s home to a hefty 4.5 million folks, all of whom the board aims to serve without the added noise of disruptions.
Under the new resolution, properly behaving means individuals must keep it down, preventing any outburst that's loud or abusive from throwing a wrench in the meeting's gears. Also on the chopping block are distractions like sign-waving, and attendees are expected to stay parked in their seats unless the Board Chairman gives them the nod or they’re making an exit.
The proposal also has it in for excessive commentary by the public, capping the number of agenda items attendees can sound off on to two, plus a general comment at the session’s tail end. Voice your piece, but keep it brief – just two minutes are all you've got to make your case on each topic. Anyone keen to step up to the microphone must hustle, submitting their request within ten minutes of the meeting throwing its first pitch. All the nitty-gritty details of these not-so-wildly thrilling protocols are set to hit the county’s website and the walls inside the Auditorium, for those who take their civic duty seriously.
