The rules of decorum unanimously approved at last week’s Board of Commissioners meeting were passed to help establish “orderly, respectful and efficient conduct of all public meetings.”
The rules were posted to Oglethorpe County’s website after two edits, requested by commissioners, were made.
“I want to see people have the right to express their concerns,” Board of Commissioners chairman Jay Paul said. “I want to ask you that you do it in a calm manner and mind the name calling and things that make meetings get sideways.”
Oglethorpe County deputies either had to escort residents from meetings or were called to the Board of Commissioners meeting room on at least three occasions last year because residents wouldn’t either stop when their allotted time expired or arguments between residents and commissioners or the county attorney.
“I understand there’s going to be disagreements, that there’s going to be differences, but as long as you can communicate your disagreement in a civil manner, that’s no problem,” Paul said. “But if it becomes accusational or name calling or things like that, then we all lose, because you lose the point of why you’re there.”
Paul and county administrator Jason Lewis tailored the rules to Oglethorpe County.
During Monday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, District 4 Commissioner Will Brown requested the amendment to have speakers during the public comment portion of meetings to state their address along with their name.
District 5 Commissioner Tracy Norman requested the amendment to allow removal by law enforcement if necessary, referencing Georgia code 16-11-34.
“You don’t want to throw anybody out of a meeting, but we also expect people to recognize it is a meeting,” Paul said. “It’s not a shouting contest.”
Rules of Decorum are not exclusive to Oglethorpe County.
Paul visits and observes other county Board of Commissioners meetings, including in Wilkes, Elbert and Lincoln counties. A few weeks ago, he visited Washington’s city council meeting.
“I actually watched Washington City Council address it at their meeting in December or November, one night I went down there,” Paul said. “I think (Oglethorpe County) needed to be reminded of: ‘Hey, if we’re gonna all get together, let's at least act decent with one another.’ ”
The rules are for meeting attendees and commissioners.
“People get passionate, and the Board of Commissioners and myself — we’re humans too,” Paul said. “So, these Rules of Decorum I’m going to apply to myself as well.”
Outside of monthly meetings, Paul encourages residents to contact him and the county commissioners at any time before using Facebook to gather information.
“I was sick with the flu for three days last week, got sick on a Saturday night (and) didn’t hardly get out of bed until Tuesday, but my phone kept ringing and my emails kept coming, and I did the best that I could to reply to them,” Paul said.