01/21/2004 PLANNING BOARD Minutes

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Mashpee Planning Board Public Hearing and Meeting Procedures Adopted January 21, 2004 General Procedural Guidelines Notice of any meeting shall be riled with the Town Clerk and must be publicly posted in the office of the.Town Clerk or on the principal official bulletin board of the Town at least 48 hours prior to the meeting in conformance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' o en Meeting Lave. The Board's agenda should also be posted. If it becomes necessary to adjourn or extend a meeting to another time, these same notice requirements apply to the adjourned or extended meeting. No meeting or hearing may be opened without a quorum of the Board present or 4 members for a Special Permit hearing) except for the purpose of continuing the meeting or hearing to a future date due to lack of a quorum. All meetings, public hearings and executive sessions shall be held in conformance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts'open Meeting Law. It should be remembered that "telephone meetings" discussion by telephone among members of a governmental body on an issue of public business within the jurisdiction of the body) are a violation of the open Meeting Laver. This is true even if individual telephone conversations occur in serial fashion. Except when a meeting is geld in executive session, any person in attendance may record the meeting with a tape recorder or any other method of sonic reproduction, so long as no active interference with the conduct of -the meeting arises as a result of the recording. Except when a meeting is held in executive session, any person attending the meeting may videotape the meeting from one or more fixed locations determined by the Chain so long as there is no active interference with the meeting. To be placed on an agenda, any requests and associated materials shall be submitted to the Board, via the Mashpee Planning Department, at least one week prior to a Board meeting. Exceptions may be made for filing of "Approval Not Required" plans or for any other items authorized prior to the meeting by the Chair, or at the meeting by a quorum members) of the Board. Public hearings will only be scheduled by vote of the Board at a posted meeting. Board meetings will not continue past 11 p.m. unless voted by a quorum members of the Board. All persons testifying before the Board should address the Board members only. Discussions between persons testifying 'before the Board and non-Board members should only occur as authorized by and through the Chair. All other persons shall be silent at.the request of the Chair. If a person persists in disorderly behavior during a meeting after warning from the Chair, the Chair may order him or her to withdraw from the meeting. If the disorderly person does not withdraw, the Chair may order a constable or another person to remove the offender and confine him or her in some convenient place until the meeting is adjourned. o signs may be displayed in the meeting room during the Board's meetings. 1