Commission posts hearing guidelines

By: Staff Reports | news@morganton.com
Published: July 09, 2009

Lake James --

The Joint Legislative Commission on Municipal Incorporations announced guidelines for public comments at a public hearing concerning the proposed Village of Lake James.
The hearing is from 5 to 9 p.m. July 16 at Table Rock Middle School and will include up to 30 minutes when audience members can ask questions and get information about the incorporation process and the petition for creating the Village of Lake James.
People who want to address the commission must sign up that day, staff attorney Gayle Moses said. The sign-up sheet will be in the lobby. People also can leave written comments in a box there.
Individuals may speak for up to one minute; a group's representative for up to three minutes. A "stop" sign will signal when time is up.
A "group" may be an organized neighborhood association or public-interest group, but it also could be the people on the same street or in the same neighborhood. Only one person may speak on behalf of the same group, Moses stated.
Speakers will be heard in alternating order: a proponent, then an opponent. Only one person may speak at a time.
During their allotted time, speakers may not ask questions of commissioners, other speakers or of audience members, according to Moses, and they should direct their comments to the commission members, not to other speakers or others in the audience.
"After the last person signed up to speak has concluded his or her comments," Moses stated, "the commission will take questions from the audience about the petition from Lake James or the incorporation process. The question-and-answer period will last no longer than 30 minutes."
Speakers who have more to say than they can get into one or three minutes can leave more-detailed written comments in the box in the lobby.
In addition, anyone interested in the incorporation of the Village of Lake James may leave written comments (they don't need to be typed) in the box in the lobby or e-mail comments to Moses at gaylem@ncleg.net no later than 5 p.m. on July 20.
Anyone can attend and speak at the hearing and/or submit written comments. It's not necessary that they live at or own property at the lake.

Commission posts hearing guidelines

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