Stephens Co. Commission Approves Meeting Appearance Policy

Stephens County Commissioners will be providing a form for people who wish to speak to the county commission to fill out prior to speaking.

Last Tuesday, Stephens County Commissioners approved a meeting appearance policy.

Under what commissioners approved, people who know in advance they wish to speak to the county commission will be asked to fill out a form and return it to the County Clerk by the Friday prior to the Tuesday commission meeting.

However, those who do not have a form filled out will still be allowed to speak to the commission during the public comment portion of the meeting.

County commissioners, including Debbie Whitlock, said they hope having these forms in advance will help them be better prepared to address the issues the public is asking about.

“I would like to do the meeting appearance form to be filled out and turned into the Clerk no later than the Friday prior to the next regularly scheduled commission meeting and that way, it would give us an opportunity to review it and do any research we needed to do,” said Whitlock. “However, if somebody came in here and wanted to speak, I would want them to have that opportunity to do so, but with the understanding that there may be no comments or resolution at that time, until we have time to look into it.”

Approval was unanimous.