County resolutions address decorum at meetings

Contrary to popular belief, the public doesn’t have the right to speak at public meetings.

While Indiana law covers a range of reasons elected and appointed officials must host meetings open to the public as well as public hearings in which the public is actually invited to provide their opinion, for most meetings the public can spectate but not participate (other than through the election process).

Fortunately, most boards and committees in Dubois County give time for public comment during public meetings.

However, both the County Council and Commissioners have adopted a new resolution that codifies the decorum for public discussion. The intent, according to council president Mike Kluesner, is to create the guidelines the council and commission can use as a baseline to maintain order during public meetings.

The new resolutions were recommended by the Association of Indiana Counties in response to several unruly meetings that have taken place in other counties around the state. Kluesner stated he thought there were some arguments over solar or wind power in these other counties.

The new resolutions can be viewed on the Dubois County website here.

The new resolutions allow for public discussion at the discretion of the council or commission. The rules included in the resolution limit speaking time to three minutes per individual, outline reasons someone could be stopped from speaking (e.g. discourteous, argumentative, accusatory, insulting as well as repetitive comments), and explain how and why someone could be removed from a meeting.

During the council meeting, Councilman Doug Uebelhor stated he felt some of the guidelines were somewhat overzealous and asked why there was a clause that required someone to identify the county they live in.

Kluesner explained this was included due to individuals coming from outside the county to remonstrate at meetings in other counties. “We want to make sure we put precedence to the opinions of the people of our own county,” Councilwoman Charmian Klem said.

Kluesner explained that the council can lift adjust the guidelines and allow more leeway in interactions but if things were to get out of hand, the resolution gives precedence and guidance for the decorum of the meeting.

“This is just, in my mind, for the worst case scenario,” Klem added.

The resolution passed unanimously.