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intimidates staff, and hampers staff’s ability to do their job objectively. H. Limit requests for staff <br />support. Requests for additional staff support – even in high priority or emergency situations – should <br />be made to the City Manager who is responsible for allocating City resources in order to maintain a <br />professional, well-run City government. <br />I. Do not solicit political support from staff. Council Members should not solicit any type of <br />political support (financial contributions, display of posters or lawn signs, name on support list, etc.) <br />from City staff. <br />J. Council, EDA and Commission agendas. Staff’s responsibility is to provide Council <br />Members the information needed for informed decision-making. Every effort should be made to ask <br />staff questions regarding Council, EDA and commission agendas before the meeting. <br />K. Don’t speak ill of other Council Members to staff. Staff has the responsibility to treat all <br />Council Members equally. It puts staff in a compromising position when one Council Member criticizes <br />other Council Members to staff. <br />L. Don’t spring surprises on Council Members or City staff, especially at formal meetings. <br />6.3 Council Conduct With The Public <br />6.3.1 In Public Meetings Making the public feel welcome is an important part of the democratic <br />process. No signs of partiality, prejudice or disrespect should be evident on the part of individual Council <br />Members toward an individual participating in a public forum. Every effort should be made to be fair <br />and impartial in listening to public testimony. <br />A. Be fair and equitable in allocating public hearing time to individual speakers. The Mayor <br />will determine and announce limits on speakers at the start of the public hearing process and ensuring <br />those with Brooklyn Park addresses have an opportunity to speak. Generally, each speaker will be <br />allocated three minutes with applicants or their designated representatives may be allowed more time. <br />If many speakers are anticipated, the Mayor may shorten the time limit and/or ask speakers to limit <br />themselves to new information and points of view not already covered by previous speakers. No <br />speaker will be turned away unless he or she exhibits inappropriate behavior. Each speaker may only <br />speak once during the public hearing unless the Council requests additional clarification later in the <br />process. After the close of the public hearing, no more public testimony will be accepted unless agreed <br />upon by the Council. <br />B. Ask for clarification, but avoid debate and argument with the public. Only the Mayor – <br />not individual Council Members – can interrupt a speaker during a presentation. However, a Council <br />Member can ask the Mayor for a point of order if the speaker is off the topic or exhibiting behavior or <br />language the Council Member finds disturbing. If speakers become flustered or defensive by Council <br />questions, it is the responsibility of the Mayor to calm and focus the speaker and to maintain the order <br />and decorum of the meeting. Questions by Council Members to members of the public testifying should <br />seek to clarify or expand information. It is never appropriate to belligerently challenge or belittle the <br />speaker. Council Members’ personal opinions or inclinations about upcoming votes should not be <br />revealed until after the public hearing is closed. <br />13