Foothill Fire Protection District Board Meetings

Recommendations 2

• R1

  Page 14
  The Grand Jury recommends the Foothill Board of Directors request a Calaveras County deputy sheriff be present at board meetings to help maintain order. The chairman must conduct meetings according to the published agenda including time limits. If interruptions by either the public or staff prevent business from being conducted, the chair should ask the deputy to help restore order. If order cannot be restored, the chair should request the disruptive individual or individuals be removed from the meeting. If the meeting continues to be willfully interrupted by a group or groups of individuals, then the 9 board will need to request the meeting room cleared and continue in session in accordance with the Brown Act.
• R2

  Page 14
  The Grand Jury recommends the following written statement be handed out to all members of the public and staff at the beginning of each scheduled meeting: A. This meeting of the Foothill Fire District Board of Directors will be conducted under the provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act. Brown Act 54950) B. Members of the public and staff will be allowed to address the board on a specific agenda item when recognized by the chairman and before a vote is taken on that item. Comments will be limited to three minutes per speaker and 15 minutes per topic. Once a vote is taken that item is closed to further comment. (Brown Act 54954.3.b) C. Members of the public and staff will be allowed to address the board on any topic not on the agenda at the end of the meeting. No more than 5 minutes per speaker will be allowed. (Brown Act 54954.3.a) D. Should interruptions by either the public or staff prevent business from being conducted, the chair will ask order to be restored. If order is unable to be restored, then the chair will need to request the disruptive individual or individuals be removed from the meeting. If the meeting continues to be willfully interrupted by a group or groups of individuals, then the board will need to request the meeting room cleared and to continue in session. (Brown Act 54957.9) SUMMARY In order to regain control of its regular and special board meetings, the Grand Jury recommends the Foothill Fire Protection District Board of Directors take extraordinary steps to ensure security at its meetings by requesting law enforcement personnel to assist with maintaining order. RESPONSE REQUESTED Foothill Fire Protection District Board of Directors Calaveras County Sheriff 10 RESPONSES FROM FOOTHILL FIRE PROTECTION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CALAVERAS COUNTY SHERIFF TO DECEMBER 20, 2006 GRAND JURY REPORT REASON FOR INVESTIGATION Foothill Fire Protection District (FFPD) Board meetings have become dysfunctional and unproductive due to the inability of the board to control willful interruptions during district board meetings.