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ATTY/POLICIES/A GUIDE TO CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS & BUSINESS <br />REV: 09-14-23 VR <br />Page 5 of 16 <br />declare a speaker out of order, limit speaking time or topics, expel a person from the <br />meeting if they refuse to cease their disruptive behavior, call for security to physically <br />remove or arrest any persons who persist in actual disruption: creating or <br />participating in a physical disturbance, speaking out of turn or in violation of <br />applicable rules (including time limits), preventing or attempting to prevent others <br />who have the floor from speaking, preventing or impeding others from observing the <br />meeting, entering into or remaining in an area of the meeting room that is not open <br />to the public, holding up in the air or waving posters, signs, flags, or banners in the <br />audience in a way that impedes ingress or egress or disrupts the ability of other <br />audience members to view or participate in the proceedings, or disrupts the ability of <br />the Council to view the audience or participated in the proceedings. <br />3. Enforcement. Disruptive behavior as described more fully above may result in <br />removal from a City Council meeting and/or arrest and prosecution. Any law <br />enforcement officer on duty may serve as the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Council <br />meetings. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall carry out all orders and instructions given by <br />the Presiding Officer for the purpose of maintaining order at the City Council <br />meetings. <br />D. Cooling off Period/Clearing Council Chambers. In the event one or more individuals at a <br />Council meeting continues, after a warning by the Presiding Officer, to engage in <br />disruptive or unruly behavior to the extent that it is preventing Council members or others <br />from adequately participating in the meeting, the Presiding Officer may order a cooling <br />off period and/or the Council chambers be cleared of all members of the public (with the <br />exception of members of the press who are not participating in the disruption) or may <br />adjourn the meeting to another time or place so that the meeting may continue <br />uninterrupted. <br />E. Council Chamber Capacity. Council Chambers attendance shall be limited to the posted <br />seating capacity (152 people). Entrance to the City Hall will be appropriately regulated by <br />the City Manager or designee on occasions when the Council Chamber capacity is likely <br />to be exceeded. While the Council is in session, members of the public shall not remain <br />standing in the Council Chamber except to address the Council; standing in the foyer at <br />the back of the room is acceptable so long as proper decorum is observed. Sitting on the <br />floor shall not be permitted. The Council proceedings may be conveyed by loudspeaker <br />to those who have been unable to enter the Council Chambers. There is also a monitor <br />outside for people to view the proceedings. <br />F. Accessibility. The City makes every reasonable effort to accommodate the needs of the <br />disabled. Persons needing assistance should contact the City Clerk. <br />9.A. - Page 8 of 19 <br />145