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Allison Kepley, Salisbury, NC
♦The quote made by Eva GeoRene Jones from Robert’s Rules of Order was taken out of context. The “whole membership” means the entire membership of the County Commissioners—and in this case, the entire membership of the County Commissioners. As far as I can tell, Eva GeoRene Jones is not a member of the county commissioners.
In North Carolina, our county voters elect a board of commissioners. They do not conduct their meetings at the will of the public, but at the “will of the whole membership”, which means the elected commissioners of the board.
If Eva GeoRene Jones and/or Judy Klusman think they earned a place as members of the board of commissioners, then they need quite a reality check. Such thinking would be delusional, and would lack any basis in law or fact. It’s true some people consider themselves the centers of the universe, but luckily for us the county commissioners don’t recognize such persons central position among the stars.
“For Fair and Orderly Meetings & Conventions:
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Larry Wright, West Rowan
♦Those who think they have the right to speak publically at any and every public government body meeting should take the time to learn the rules for such meetings. Most of the meetings of our Legislature in Raleigh are NOT open for public comment. At some committee meetings, citizens may speak when invited to do so. Otherwise they may not speak.
Try making public comments at every Salisbury City Council meeting, and you will learn that you can not do that. They only allow public comments at one meeting a month, unless they have very recently changed their policy. Rowan County allows public comment at two meetings a month. The Legislature requires that city and county meetings allow public comments at one meeting a month. If you don’t like the rules, then ask the Legislature to change them.
Harry Reid, the U. S. Senate Majority Leader, won’t even allow the minority members of the Senate to speak on many occasions. He certainly will not allow members of the public to interrupt and speak. But perhaps he would change his mind if someone were to remind him about the Robert’s Rules of Order.
Every government body is able to make their own rules for conducting public meetings. I don’t know of a single such body that allows the general public to invoke Robert’s Rules of Order to interrupt the meeting. If you don’t like the rules, then follow the proper procedure to get them changed. Disrupting the meeting is not the way to be heard. One should learn the rules so as to avoid the embarrassment of making a fool of onesself.
