DEFINITIONS

    Public Hearing

    General Item

    Resolution

    Ordinance

TYPES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS

    Public Hearing

    Work Session

    Closed Session

    Special Session

DEFINITIONS

Public Hearings are scheduled to set aside time to hear from you, the public, concerning a specific matter/issue in question. Prior to the public hearing, the scheduled date and subject must be advertised. You are encouraged to present testimony to the Council on any matter listed on the public hearing portion of the agenda.

General items on the agenda are not public hear ngs You are only permitted to provide comments on a general item during “Comments from the Audience.”

A resolution indicates Council policy and directs a certain type of action to occur.

An ordinance or an amendment to an ordinance is a formal and binding type of Council legislation
 

Schedule

The Herndon Town Council holds public sessions on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, except in June, July, August, and December, when only one session is held on the second Tuesday of the month. Work sessions are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, except in June, July, August, and December, when only one session is held on the first Tuesday of the month. Work sessions are not held on the first Tuesday in May in even numbered years

TYPES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS

Public Hearings: Council public hearings are formal proceedings. All comments are recorded on tape and by the Town Clerk. An agenda is provided for your convenience. Public hearings are held and you are encouraged to participate in the process. Minutes are prepared and are available following approval. Copies of video and audio recordings are also available.

Procedures for addressing the Council during public hearings

You may address any item that is not listed on the public hearing portion of the agenda during “Comments from the Audience.” You may address the Council only once on each item, unless called back to the podium by a member of Council. When you are called upon to speak, you are requested to:

1. Come to the speaker’s podium.

2. State your name and home address — spelling your last name, and direct questions to the presiding officer.

3. Provide your comments in accordance with the procedures above.

4. If you have a written statement, please file t, along with other supportive material, with the Town Clerk for the record.

Work Sessions: These are informal, informational Council proceedings. An agenda is provided for your convenience that includes staff reports, staff recommendations, and background information on agenda items. Agenda items are discussed among the Council and Town staff. No votes or actions taken by the Council at a work session, except on rare occasions. Brief minutes are prepared and are available following approval. Work sessions are open to the public and you are welcome to attend and listen to the discussion. You are not permitted to participate in the discussion, unless called on by the Mayor or a member of Council.

Closed Meetings: In certain instances, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act permits the Town Council to hold a meeting from which the public is excluded. Any action taken during a closed meeting must be ratified by a vote in a public, formal session of the Council.

Special Sessions: The Mayor or any four members of the Council may call such a meeting at any time upon notice being given to each member of the Council and to the press. No business other than that for which the hearing has been called can be transacted, unless all members are present in which case this provision may be changed by a majority vote of Council. Brief minutes are prepared and are available following approval. Special sessions are open to the public and you are welcome to attend and listen to the discussion.