Escambia County school board considers changes to public forum policy
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — The Escambia County school board is discussing changes to how the members of the public can address them at meetings.
Board members discussed a possible pilot program during a special workshop Thursday afternoon based on a policy in Orange County, Florida.
One proposal would move speakers addressing non-agenda items to the end of the meeting. People speaking on agenda items would address the board at the beginning of the meeting.
The board also discussed limiting the time people can speak during public forums. The more people signed up to address the board means less time each person would have to speak.
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They also discussed the idea of not allowing anyone to donate their time to others. Right now, people can speak for three minutes and give their time away. The maximum one person can speak is nine minutes.
“There is nothing in this policy that prevents someone from speaking,” Board Member Patty Hightower said. “I mean what it does is curtails the amount of minutes, and that’s a discussion if we want to continue to let everybody have three minutes.”
Nothing is final. The discussions will continue at future meetings. Before the changes are voted on, the board will have to hold a workshop and receive public input.
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