Open Board Meetings Policy

Purpose

To define the scope of public comment at the Board of Trustees Meetings.

Policy scope

The MAHHC Board of Trustees is made up of volunteer community members and welcomes comments and input. Accordingly, the Board holds four meetings per year that include a session in which the public is given the opportunity for comment. These sessions will last 30 minutes.

Policy

Protocol for public comment:

  • Meeting dates, times and locations are available through the Administration office. Please contact Candace Hingston at (802) 674-7255.
  • Members of the general public who wish to speak may be acknowledged during the public session and will be asked to identify themselves.
  • If the address is based on the submission of a group, one person must be identified as the spokesperson for the group.
  • Presentation topics must be submitted prior to the meeting and presentations will be limited to a maximum of fifteen minutes, subject to the discretion of the Board Chair. Background material may be included in the Board information package, provided it is submitted 10 days in advance of the scheduled meeting and subject to the approval of the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
  • Presentations may be declined. Reasons for declining a presentation may include time restrictions, inappropriate or irrelevant content, etc.
  • Presentations will be heard at the beginning of the meeting and will be noted on the meeting agenda if submitted in advance.
  • The board will receive agreed-to presentations but is not obligated to respond or take action on these presentations.
  • Examples of topics that might be addressed to the board: community input into strategic directions, messages of thanks, information about trends in the health care system.
  • Seating is available for staff and the general public at all open board meetings, but large delegations of attendees may mean not everyone can be accommodated.
  • The chair of the meeting may exclude attendees for disruptive behavior.
  • Videotaping, recording equipment, and cameras are not permitted at Board meetings. The board chairperson or their designee will make a determination to close the public comment session. At the conclusion of the public comment session, members of the public will be dismissed, and the chair will convene the regular portion of the meeting.

Adopted by the Board of Trustees at the June 5, 2017 meeting.