Members of the public, including delegations or individuals, have the right, and are encouraged, to attend meetings of the Metropolitan Library Commission and to listen to and observe its deliberations. In the interest of orderly conduct of Commission meetings, spontaneous discussion from the floor shall not be permitted. The individual dignity of Commission members, Library employees, members /cardholders, and all persons in attendance at Commission meetings shall be respected; accordingly, no persons in attendance at Commission meetings shall be subjected to abuse through these proceedings.

Members of the public are requested to seek resolution of specific problems at the local library site or at the most appropriate administrative library office level. Persons are encouraged to write to the Commission or the executive director with general questions, concerns, suggestions or to obtain information about the Library. Each person submitting such a notice will receive notice of the receipt of his or her written correspondence, which may include a response.

In order to maintain open lines of communication, the Commission provides time for citizen comments during regular monthly business meetings.

Individuals who wish to speak at a Regularly Scheduled Commission meeting are required to complete a Public Comments Sign-up Form before the Commission meeting convenes.

A Metropolitan Library System staff member will be at a table inside the meeting room with Public Comment Sign-up Forms between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting. This is the only time forms may be submitted to request to make public comments at Commission meetings.

Any person who is a resident, employee, or an official representative of a recognized group or organization of Oklahoma City or Oklahoma County may address the Commission for a maximum of three (3) minutes, when granted permission by the Commission Chairperson. Where several people and/or delegations wish to address the same subject, a spokesperson must be selected. Unless otherwise provided for, Public Comments will only be allowed during periods specifically allotted for that purpose.

All persons who speak at Commission meetings are to meet all provisions of this policy. Metropolitan Library Commission policies, state law and federal law have established separate and distinct procedures and forums for the resolution of employee grievances, employee complaints, employee suspensions and terminations, complaints against individual employees, member suspensions, political campaigns, and litigation. To avoid circumvention of those separate proceedings and ensure fairness to all parties concerned, no person will be allowed to speak regarding the following:
(1) an issue in a pending lawsuit, complaint or investigation filed with an outside agency, wherein the Library, employee(s) or the Commission is party; (2) a pending grievance; (3) pending employee complaint filed with the Library or an outside agency; (4) complaint against individual employee(s); (5) employee disciplinary action, suspension, or termination; (6) member suspension or appeal which may ultimately reach the Metropolitan Library Commission; or (7) a solicitation for business for the Library to buy a product or service. Additionally, no person who has publicly announced or filed as a candidate for public office may speak during this session. All meetings of the Metropolitan Library Commission shall be open to the public, and any regular meeting shall include an opportunity for the public to address the Commission. Committees or subcommittees of the Commission are not subject to this public comment policy.

Presentations under “Public Comments” are limited to three (3) minutes. The Commission Chairperson may interrupt and terminate any presentation that is not in accordance with any of these criteria.

Commission members may not respond to speakers’ comments. The executive director is expected to provide a written response to the speaker and to inform Commission members of the response.

The Commission authorizes the executive director to establish procedures to administer this policy.