During the Public Comment Period of Hamilton Memorial Hospital District’s (HMHD) Board of Director’s Meetings, the following guidelines will be followed:

1. In order to be placed on the agenda, it is necessary to inform in writing HMHD’s CEO three business days in advance of the Board Meeting of any requests to speak to HMHD’s Board of Directors.
    
2. Remarks or comments from the members of the general public will only be accepted during the agenda item entitled “Public Comments”.  The “Public Comments” section will be scheduled as the first agenda item for each HMHD Board Meeting.
    
3. Individuals offering “Public Comments” may address the Board of Directors for not more than 5 minutes each.  The “Public Comments” section of the meeting will be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes due to other Hospital business that must to be conducted during the meeting.  Individuals who speak for less than their allotted time may not yield their remaining time to another speaker and individuals will only be allowed to address the Board of Directors one time per meeting.  The “Public Comments” section can be extended beyond 30 minutes with approval from a majority of a quorum of the Board of Directors.
    
4. Citizens wishing to address the board will need to register on a sign in sheet before the meeting begins and provide their name, address, and the group they represent (if applicable).   These individuals are also required to verbally identify themselves, the group they represent (if they are representing someone other than themselves) and the general nature of the topic they wish to discuss before addressing the Board.  They “Public Comments” made at HMHD Board Meetings should be relevant to the Board’s functions and responsibilities, are on the Board Agenda, and/or are of current concern or interest of the operations of the Hospital District.  The Chairperson of the Board shall have the responsibility of judging the appropriateness of comments made during the “Public Comments” portion of the agenda and shall maintain order and dignity at all times during the meeting. 
    
5. Questions will be directed only to the Board of Directors, however, the Chairperson may delegate a response from the CEO or other hospital staff, or refer the question to the CEO for investigation and consideration, and a later response.
    
6. No individual appearing before the Board of Directors shall be permitted to discuss any pending motion, make complaints against an individual employee of the Hospital District, or shall be permitted to make derogatory, defamatory or abusive comments.  Profane or vulgar language or partisan political statements are not permitted.  Complaints or charges against individual employees must be submitted in writing and will generally be referred to the Hospital CEO for investigation.
    
7. “Public Comments” are to be received without Board comment or response.  However, Board Members may seek clarification or additional information from speakers through the Chairperson. 
    
8. The Chair Person of the Board of Directors has the authority to terminate the remarks of any individual whose remarks violate the bounds of good taste, becomes unduly repetitious, or violates the above referenced rules.
    
9. Meetings of the Board of Directors may be recorded by any person by tape, film or other means.  In order to preserve the overall decorum of the meeting, the Board establishes the following rules governing the right to make such recordings:
    
   1. All requests to record public meetings of the Board of Directors must be submitted in writing at least 24 hours prior to the start of the public meeting.  Requests should be submitted to:

      Hamilton Memorial Hospital District
      611 S. Marshall Avenue, P.O. Box 429
      McLeansboro, IL 62859
      Attn: Administration
       

   2. No special accommodations will be made to individuals or organizations recording public meetings in the nature of requiring participants of meetings to identify themselves verbally for the purpose of recordings or to report portions of their discussions or testimonies.
       
   3. All recording equipment, including lights, must be on unobstructive and not be of such size, intensity or quantity as to provide discomfort or inconvenience to members of the Board of Directors, its officials, or guests attending such meetings.
       
   4. The Board reserves the right to prohibit recording during the testimony of a witness who refuses to testify if any portion of his testimony is to be broadcast or televised or if motion pictures are to be taken of him while testifying.
       
10. Any of these rules are subject to change on a majority vote of a quorum of the Board.