Public Input Policy
West Wilson Utility District
Board of Commissioner's Meeting
Public Input Policy
The Board of Commissioners (the "Board") of the West Wilson Utility District conducts all meetings in compliance with the Tennessee open meetings law. Tennessee law requires that meetings be open for public observation, and that the Board reserve a period of time at each meeting for public comment related to matters that are germane to the agenda items to be considered at such meeting.
It is the policy of the Board to allow members of the public to speak once on any agenda item for up to three (3) minutes. An agenda will be made available for review by members of the public at least 30 minutes prior to each Board meeting. If a member of the public wishes to speak to the Board, he or she must sign up to speak before the meeting by registering on the sign-up sheet that will be available at the meeting, whether with regard to a specific agenda item or as part of the general public forum described below. Only persons who have registered to speak prior to the convening of the meeting will be allowed to speak.
A person speaking on an agenda item will be granted time by the presiding officer of the Board to speak when his or her topic of interest is addressed on the agenda. When a number of persons desire to speak to an issue, each side shall be limited to three (3) speakers. The Board may extend the number of speakers or the time allowed for speakers by a vote of majority of the Commissioners present.
Immediately prior to the commencement of the Board's regularly scheduled business, the time for a general public forum will be announced. This forum will allow for persons to speak to items that are not on the agenda. The public forum will be limited to thirty (30) minutes. The order of speakers will be determined according to the order of names on the sign-up sheet. The presiding officer of the Board will then call on those persons one at a time to stand and address the Board for no more than three (3) minutes per speaker.
All speakers, members of the audience, and Commissioners shall remember that the meeting is a Board meeting. All persons are to show proper respect to each other and shall maintain the proper decorum in the meeting at all times. Persons who fail to observe the rules as to proper decorum shall not be permitted to speak and may be removed from the meeting.
Time allocated for public forum provides an opportunity for community members to share their ideas, insights, and concerns with the Commissioners; it is not, however, intended to be a time for discussion between the Commissioners and the speaker or a time for obtaining either answers to questions raised or responses to requests made for information or action. As appropriate, response to questions raised and/or requests made by the speaker may be made at a later time after Commissioners and/or staff have had sufficient opportunity to consider and deliberate on them.
All members of the public are always encouraged to submit written information prior to a board meeting by either mail, email, or our Contact Us page linked below.