Members of the public are encouraged to participate in Midpen's decision-making process by submitting comments to the board of directors, Midpen committees and public working groups.
How to Submit Written Comments
To submit a comment in advance of a public meeting, use the comment form below. This online form allows you to select an upcoming meeting, indicate your position (in favor, opposed or neutral) and type your comment.
Written comments will be included as part of the meeting record but will not be read aloud during the meeting, however, you may instead provide oral comments, in person or virtually, at the meeting. Written comments will be compiled with the agenda packet and uploaded to the District's public archive portal within three days following the meeting.
For weekday meetings:
Written comments received earlier than two hours before the start of a meeting will be distributed to the board/committee/working group members at the start of the meeting. Comments received later than two hours prior to the start of the meeting will be provided to the board/committee/working group members after the meeting.
For weekend meetings:
The cut-off time for written comments to be provided to the board/committee/working group for a weekend (Saturday/Sunday) meeting will be 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to the meeting. Any submissions received after 5 p.m. on Friday will be provided to the board/committee/working group after the meeting during business hours.
How to Provide Oral Comments During the Meeting
During a meeting, oral comments may be made in person or virtually for hybrid meetings. Note that not all meetings may have a virtual option. The Oral Communications time at the beginning of the meeting allows public comments regarding items not on the meeting agenda. Each agenda item will also include a call for public comment.
To comment in person:
To register to speak at a meeting that your are attending in-person, please fill out a speaker card, which can be found at the entrance of the board chambers, and turn it into the District Clerk. Please indicate the agenda item number that you wish to address or the topic of your comment. When your name is called during the appropriate public comment period, please step to the podium, state your name and speak into the microphone so that you can be heard clearly by all attendees. A timer with the time allotted will be displayed, once your time is up, you will then be asked to complete your sentence and retake your seat.
To comment virtually via Zoom audio:
If the meeting is accessible via Zoom, the Zoom link can be found on the published agenda. To register to speak via Zoom, please submit the comment form below for each item on which you wish to speak. Note that Midpen does not use the “Raise Hand Feature” to take public comments. Please ensure the name you list in the comment form matches the name you enter in Zoom so that staff can identify you when it is your turn to speak. When you are called to speak, please unmute your microphone. A timer with the time allotted will be displayed on the screen to help keep track of your time, and once your time is up, you will be re-muted.
To comment virtually via phone:
If the meeting is accessible via Zoom, the phone number and the corresponding Zoom Meeting ID can be found on the published agenda. To register to speak at a hybrid meeting by phone, please submit the comment form below for each item on which you wish to speak. Please provide your phone number on the form so that staff can identify you to allow you to speak. When called upon to speak, press *6 to unmute yourself, please limit your remarks to the time limit allotted. The presiding officer or District clerk will notify you when your time has ended, and you will be re-muted.
Time Allotted
At the discretion of the presiding officer, the time allotted each individual for public comment may be up to three minutes. Note that when there are a large number of speakers, the presiding officer may reduce the time to less than three minutes to allow everyone the opportunity to speak. In addition, if the Oral Communications section of the agenda exceeds 15 minutes, the presiding officer may defer additional oral communications to a designated time later in the meeting.
Meeting Decorum
To ensure that all members of the public have equitable access to the democratic process and feel free to participate, the following rules of decorum apply to everyone who attends a public meeting:
- Treat all speakers with respect. Public speaking is not an easy task for many, and participation is appreciated. The fear of jeers or cheers can discourage public participation. The presiding officer may ask those whose behavior is unruly or disruptive to leave the meeting.
- While it may seem appropriate, if not valued, to applaud a speaker when you agree with them, it can have the effect of silencing those who have a different opinion. In all cases, please refrain from applause after a speaker concludes even if you concur with their comments.
- All remarks should be addressed to the body and not to any individual member of the body, staff or any other member of the public.
- Speakers and any other members of the public shall not approach the dais at any time without prior consent from the presiding officer. If an individual wishes to submit written information, they may hand it to the District Clerk or other administrative staff.
- Failure to comply with the meeting decorum rules or behavior that disturbs, disrupts or impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting may result in removal from the meeting.