VBT Board sets special work/study session to discuss meeting conduct

The Van Buren Township Board of Trustees will convene in a special work/study session at 4 p.m. today (May 10) to consider proposed amendments to the Meeting Conduct Policy.
No votes are scheduled at this meeting.
If the proposed amendments are approved as proposed at a future meeting, the changes will include:
• No public comment at work/study sessions in the future. The board holds work/study sessions at 4 p.m. on the Mondays before regular meetings on Tuesdays to discuss at length items that will on the regular agenda. Presently, the public is able to ask questions of and offer information to the board;
• The ability to take official action at work/study sessions. In the past the public could be assured no action would be taken at a work/study session except for a motion to go into closed-door session and to adjourn;
• Addition of the item “Executive Summary of the Agenda” to the order of business at board meetings, just before the Adoption of Agenda;
• Anyone using a tape recorder at a meeting would need to let everyone know they are being recorded;
• Board members will not be allowed to speak more than two times on a given question — three minutes the first time and three minutes the second time. A straw poll will determine if board members may speak for another three minutes;
• Use of a board member’s name would be avoided using “the maker of the motion” or “the previous speaker.” When addressing other board members they would have to be addressed by title and/or last name, but not by first name;
• Remarks must be confined to the merits of the pending question and no member may comment adversely on any prior act of the Board of Trustees that is not pending;
• A courteous tone would have to be maintained and personal attacks would be strictly prohibited. These include, but are not limited to derogatory, denigrating, or accusatory language and allegations of criminal or civil wrongdoing. Critiques shall be make in a respectful manner;
• Any board member will be able to ask for a Point of Order when another member’s remarks are considered not relevant to the pending question or a personal attack. In such cases, the majority shall make the determination. If deemed out of order, the speaking member will forfeit his or her remaining time to comment on the pending question;
• A board member’s repeated refusal to adhere to the board meeting rules of decorum may be called out of order by the Supervisor. A vote of the majority of the board will determine if the rules of decorum have been violated. If it is deemed the rules have been violated, the board will decide whether to impose a formal reprimand at the following meeting;
• A board member shall not use their personal mobile devices to answer phone calls or send electronic communications, including text messages, while seated at the board table;
• The audience has to behave and speak in a courteous, orderly, and non-offensive manner. Comments should be framed to provide a point of view, to provide information, or express a concern. Heckling or chiding is not permitted;
• Audience members would not be allowed to carry on personal conversations, whistle, clap (other than during special ceremonies), yell, heckle, or interrupt a speaker;
• If anyone fails to abide by the Board’s Meeting Conduct Policy, the presiding Sergeant at Arms shall “call to order” any persons failing to abide by the rules and could order the person to leave the meeting. “This subsection to be strictly enforced.” That distruptive person could be barred from attending future meetings;
• Audience members may display signs only if they give advance notice to the secretary to the board and are not offensive or do not disturb or create a visual obstruction for other audience members.
Other provisions of the 13-page policy may be discussed, as well. Members of the audience will not be allowed to speak until after the board discussion of the policy is concluded.