City of Derby

Public Forum

The City Council values your opinion. You are welcomed and encouraged to voice your opinion to the City Council at any time via email or directly. You may also share your opinion with the governing body in person at a Council meeting.

The “Public Forum” is a dedicated time during the City Council meetings when members of the public may address the Council on any subject relevant to City government, its policies, operations, or services.

The Public Forum is held at the beginning of every City Council meeting. The City Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are held at Derby City Hall, 611 Mulberry Rd.

How to Participate

If you wish to speak during the Public Forum, you should arrive at least five minutes prior to the start of the Council meeting to sig in to speak. There is no need to sign-up in advance of this time. The sign-in sheet is located directly inside the doorway of the City Council room. After you sign in, please pick up an agenda, take a seat, and wait for the Mayor to recognize you to speak.

When the Mayor calls your name, proceed to the podium and introduce yourself. Your comments are limited to five minutes in length. If you request more time, the Governing Body must vote to grant you more time and may only grant you a total of three more minutes.

If you have documents or papers to share with the governing body, please hand them to the Assistant City Manager as you approach the podium. The copies will be distributed to the Council dais. Please provide 13 copies.

General Guidelines on Public Speaking

Some people choose to read their comments from a prepared statement; others ad lib. Please do whatever makes you feel most comfortable and whatever most clearly and succinctly gets your point across.

Speakers should always craft their comments in a way that respects themselves and others. While providing an opportunity to speak on any topic of concern, the Mayor is responsible for maintaining order and decorum and will not allow public speakers to make personal attacks or inflammatory comments.

What to Expect in Response

As a valued resident or community stakeholder, you can expect an attentive, respectful audience to your comments. You will be thanked for your time and candor. Governing Body members may ask a question to clarify a statement, but generally governing body members will refrain from any further discussion with you or about your comments.

The City Council meeting is designed for the Governing Body to discuss and make decisions on business items. It is the one and only place and time the Council has to get the critical job of decision-making accomplished.

While the Public Forum is an important part of the Council meeting, it is but one part. The Public Forum is not intended as a time of discussion or debate. In some cases, the speaker will be directed to meet with City staff to resolve the issue or get questions answered.

As you step away from the podium, know that the governing body respects and appreciates your willingness to engage in issues that impact your community. Thank you for your interest and participation in Derby municipal government.

If you have additional questions not covered here, contact City Hall at (316) 788-3132.

Questions or comments? Contact the Web Manager.