TO: Assembly Members

FROM: Pete Sprague, Assembly President

Milli Martin, Assembly Member

DATE: September 25, 2003

SUBJECT: Ordinance 2003-36

The assembly agenda format provides one opportunity at the beginning of each regular assembly meeting for public presentations and comments on non-agenda items, as well as an aggregate time limit. Scheduled presentations may take up most or all of the allotted time, thus providing insufficient time for members of the public wishing to comment on non-agenda items early in the meeting. There has also been some confusion as to whether scheduled presentations are in fact agenda items and whether this time should be counted against the 20-minute aggregate time currently allotted to this portion of the agenda. Providing for both scheduled presentations and unscheduled public comment should serve to lessen this confusion and assure that members of the public wishing to comment on non-agenda items are given a greater opportunity to be heard. This ordinance is an attempt to make the public process more "user-friendly" and inclusive. We encourage and ask for your support.