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The City of Seaside encourages public participation in open public meetings through various avenues, which includes in-person, in-writing and now via a virtual/electronic method that includes any combination of audio/video available in council chambers. The City of Seaside welcomes public comment, healthy debate, and the expression of diverse opinions in a respectful a manner. The Seaside City Council reviewed and passed a Public Comment Administrative Process and Policy on February 14, 2022 establishing basic guidelines for the various methods of providing comments at public meetings.
The following are some basic rules of conduct to ensure comments are respectful and germane to city business or a specific agenda item.
Rules of Conduct:
- Pre-Registration: Those wishing to submit public comment, whether in-person, via Zoom webinar, via Zoom telephone, or in writing shall register using the following registration form.
- Speaker Identification: Each speaker shall state their name and address so it can be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
- Representation of Others: If a speaker is representing or speaking on behalf of other persons, groups, or entities, then the speaker shall state the nature of that representation.
- Pertinence of Comments: Public comments shall relate to matters within the purview of the City Council or the Planning Commission. Comments shall relate to either items on the agenda or other matters related to city business.
- Repetitive Comments: Speakers shall refrain from repeating their own comments and testimony and the comments and testimonies of others. The Mayor or Chair may limit or end the speaker's time if the speaker is excessively repetitive.
- Poor Behavior Prohibited: No person shall engage in disruptive, discourteous, belligerent, impertinent, threatening, disparaging, or otherwise uncivil behavior. The Mayor or Chair may interrupt a speaker at any time to enforce the rules.
- Referral to Committee and Commissions: When appropriate, matters raised by the public may be referred, without further debate or discussion, by the Mayor or Chair, to the appropriate committee, commission, or other public body of the city.
- Individual Speaker Time Limit: In-person, virtual, or telephonic testimony may be limited to three (3) minutes per person, unless directed differently by the Mayor or Chair at the time of the meeting.
- Virtual Meetings: If you are attending a public meeting virtually via Zoom webinar, please be mindful of your background image and background noise. Any obscene images, foul language, or disruptive behavior will cause you to be removed from the meeting.
All public meetings are opened to all members of the public. Those wishing to address a public body may request reasonable accommodations be made for them to do so and shall contact City Hall at 503-738-5511 one (1) business day prior to the meeting date to make the request.