The Southern Nevada District Board of Health recognizes that its deliberative process benefits greatly from public input and perspective. At the same time, it wishes to organize its agendas and use its meeting time effectively, and ensure an equitable allocation of time to speakers.

Additionally, in order to be responsive to the public, the Board desires that appropriate staff members be present and prepared to respond to general areas of concern identified by potential speakers; therefore, it is the policy of the Board that members of the public shall have the right and shall be encouraged to be heard at Board meetings. This right may be exercised in the following way:

1. Public Hearings:

   Members of the public are allowed to speak on Public Hearing / Action items after the Board’s discussion and prior to their vote. Speakers will be given five (5) minutes to address the Board.

   1. No person may yield his or her time to another person. The time limit will also be clearly stated on the meeting agenda.
   2. In those situations where large groups of people desire to address the Board on the same matter, the Board Chair may request that those groups select only one or two speakers from the group to address the Board on behalf of the group.
   3. Once the public hearing is closed, no additional public comment will be accepted.

2. Public Comments:

   There will be two public comment periods. One at the beginning of the meeting before any items on which action may be taken are heard and one before adjournment. The public comment period at the beginning of the meeting will be limited to those items listed on the agenda. The public comment period held before adjournment is a general public comment period and speakers may address the Board about any issues within its jurisdiction. Speakers will be given five (5) minutes to address the Board.

   1. The Board is unable to take action on any issue raised in these comments until the matter itself has been specifically included in an agenda upon which action may be taken pursuant to NRS 241.020. However, the Board can provide direction to staff.
   2. Once the public comment period is closed, no additional public comment will be accepted.

3. Comments may be prohibited if not relevant to, within the authority of the Board, or willfully disruptive of the meeting by being irrelevant, repetitious, slanderous, offensive, irrational, amounting to personal attacks, or interfering with the rights of other speakers.

4. The Board reserves the right to waive or alter this procedure if in the opinion of the Board it is warranted by the circumstances of any particular meeting.

5. At each meeting, the Board Chair may read speaker guidelines prior to receiving public input.

6. At each meeting, prior to the first public comment period, staff will provide clear and complete instructions for a member of the general public to be able to call in to the meeting to provide public comment, including, without limitation, a telephone number or any necessary identification number of the meeting or other access code.

Adopted: 1/27/2011

Amended: 8/25/2011

Amended: 4/25/2024