It is hereby mandated that any board or commission
or committee or subcommittee thereof in the City of Pawtucket, whose
members are appointed or confirmed by the City Council or the Mayor
of the City of Pawtucket, shall include a public input session at
the beginning of each docket or agenda for each meeting, or special
meeting, in the conduct of ordinary business before each board or
commission. The purpose of this article is to encourage members of
the public to attend the meetings of each board or commission or committee
or subcommittee and to offer input to that particular body regarding
matters pertaining to City government. For the purpose of this section,
members of the particular board. commission, committee or subcommittee
being convened shall not be considered members of the public and shall
be prohibited from offering such "public" comment to the rest of the
body; provided, however. that members of one board. commission, committee
or subcommittee shall be free to offer public input before any other
City body on which he or she does not sit.
Public input shall not be allowed on adjudicatory
proceedings scheduled to be heard by the board or commission including
administrative appeals or other applications for relief.
Each board or commission or committee or subcommittee shall establish a written policy or procedure concerning its public input session which shall not conflict with the intent of Subsection A. Such policy shall be filed with the City Council.
If any board or commission or committee or subcommittee
fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of this article, then
the City Council may hold a public hearing to determine if said violation
is willful and may then refer the matter to the Law Department to
take the necessary steps to remove the offending board members from
office.