AGENDAS – BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS 2026
Public Participation Guidelines FOR BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETINGS
RESOLUTION 2024-07
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT BOROUGH COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Every public meeting shall provide opportunity for residents and taxpayers to be heard. The following rules shall apply pursuant to Section 710 of the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, the following rules for public comment and participation at public Borough meetings (Committee and Legislative Meetings):
1. Speakers who wish to address the Borough Council during a Committee Meeting or a Borough Council Meeting shall sign in on a form provided by the Borough no later than 7:00 p.m. The speaker shall indicate their name, address, and the nature of the public comment to be provided.
2. Public comment will be scheduled at the beginning of meetings, prior to Council/ Committee deliberating or taking official action on any matter.
3. Residents and taxpayers of the Borough have the right to comment on matters that are before or of concern to the Borough during the public comment portion of all Borough public meetings, up to a three (3) minute time limit. The Council President or Chair may allocate time among those wishing to speak in order to manage meeting time. Depending upon circumstances, the Council President reserves the right to establish a different time limit.
4. Residents and taxpayers of the Borough wishing to address Council/Committee must state their name and addresses for the record.
5. At Borough Council meetings, the President of Council shall be the spokesperson for Council and will generally refer citizen concerns to the Borough Manager for research by staff and reporting back to Council.
6. The Borough Council President will preside over the public comment period directing each party present when to address the Borough Council and notify each of when his/her/their time has lapsed.
7. If, in the judgment of the Council President, the period for public comment is unusually long, the atmosphere has become unruly, or the comments become repetitive, the Council President may move to close public comment or defer all or portions of the public comment to a subsequent regular meeting or to a work session or an advertised special meeting to be held in advance of the next regular meeting.
8. In order to facilitate the administration of the Borough’s business, the public comment period shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes.
9. Topics presented during public comment must relate to matters of concern, official action or deliberation which are or may come before the Council, as defined by the Borough Code, or matters that are of public concern in the Borough. Public comment is not an opportunity to dialogue with the elected officials and Borough staff, or demand explanations or answers. Elected officials and Borough staff may but are not required to follow up on public comment during the business portion of the meeting, at a later meeting, or after the meeting at another time. Elected officials, may also be limited by law in their ability to comment on certain topics.
10. Borough officials and members of the public are expected to conduct themselves with civility and to afford each other a measure of dignity and respect. Shouting, personal insults, attacks, or any conduct that disrupts the flow of business is considered to be out of order. At the discretion of Council/Committee, disruptive individuals shall be subject removal from council chambers.
DULY ADOPTED THIS 17TH DAY OF APRIL, 2024 BY THE BOROUGH OF DARBY IN LAWFUL SESSION DULY ASSEMBLED.
