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Addressing the Council
The Town of Normal is interested in hearing concerns and suggestions from our residents and businesses. Resident input on community issues is truly valued and appreciated. Individuals may address members of the Town Council at official meetings, public hearings or at any other time via telephone, email or written communication. Below are the appropriate steps that must be taken by individuals who want to address the elected officials.
The Illinois Open Meetings Act sets forth the rules and regulations for public meetings of governmental bodies across the state of Illinois. The policy behind this act is that “…the people have a right to be informed as to the conduct of...” local and state government. Open deliberation and action are cornerstones of the Open Meetings Act requirements, along with good faith efforts to ensure convenient access to meetings for all members of the public.
The Illinois Open Meetings Act prohibits more than two Normal Town Council members to convene for the purposes of discussing or acting on government related business without appropriate public notice, access and record keeping. However, the law does allow for specific exemptions. In those instances, the Council will hold an Executive Session.
The regular meetings of the Normal Town Council are held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Any regular meeting that falls on a Town holiday is held at the same time and place on the next day that is not a holiday. The purpose of the meeting is to take action on various issues pertaining to the Town of Normal.
Public comment is permitted at Town Council Meetings, assuming the following guidelines have been appropriately followed:
The purpose of a Public Hearing is to seek formal input as required by Ordinance or Statute or as deemed appropriate by the Mayor.
The Mayor will call the public hearing to order and announce the topic. During the Public Hearing, the Mayor will ask if members of the audience wish to address the Normal Town Council regarding the issue under consideration. After being asked to step forward to the microphone, individuals should clearly state their name, address and whether or not they represent an organization. The same time limits that apply to Town Council Meetings apply to Public Hearings. The Mayor reserves the right to suspend these rules in order to provide more public comment, as deemed appropriate.
When neither the applicant, opponents or Staff have further evidence to produce, or when in the opinion of Council present, sufficient evidence has been presented, the Presiding Officer shall order the public hearing closed.
On occasion, the Normal Town Council will hold a special work session to discuss significant projects, legislation or community issues. No formal action is taken in a work session; however, if a member of the public wishes to speak he or she should follow the same procedures outlined under the Town Council Meetings section.
Executive Sessions are closed meetings that allow the Town Council to discuss certain matters of sensitive nature. The Illinois Open Meetings Act specifies the type of topics that may be discussed in these sessions. Some examples include personnel matters, land acquisitions, collective bargaining and pending litigation. After the Town Council has determined that it is no longer necessary to protect the public interest or the privacy of an individual, minutes of closed meetings are made available to the public.
The Mayor has the right to create and enforce reasonable rules to preserve the order and decorum of public meetings. This includes, but is not limited to, prohibitions of applause, cheering, booing, shouting, use of profanity, wearing of caps, and the use or display of signs or banners. Persons who violate these rules or otherwise disrupt order or decorum may be removed.
The public is encouraged to communicate their questions, concerns and suggestions to the Town Council at any time that may be convenient. Telephone and email contact information for the Mayor and Council is available here. Residents may also communicate in writing by sending a letter to the Office of the City Manager. Upon request, such communication will be copied and distributed to each elected official.
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows the public access to records maintained by local government with certain limitations. The Town Council has designated the Town Clerk as the Freedom of Information Officer. Therefore, it is the policy of the Town of Normal that all Freedom of Information Requests be submitted to the Clerk's office located at City Hall.
All requests must be in writing. It is not necessary to complete the Freedom of Information Request Form; however, all requests must be in writing and contain all pertinent information necessary to comply with the request. A request may be completed online, at the Clerk’s Office or in writing by fax or email.
All non-commercial requests will be processed by the Town Clerk’s Office within five working days of the actual filing. In some instances additional time may be needed to comply, depending on the nature of the request. You will be notified in writing if a time extension is required.
Non-Exempt documents are available for inspection without charge. There is a fee of $3.00 for a copy of a Police Accident Report. There is no fee for copies of other documents, unless the documents are 50 pages or over, and in that instance, a fee of $.10 per page will be charged.
Occasionally some information may be denied pursuant to the FOIA Act. You will be notified in writing if information is denied. You may discuss the denial with the Clerk’s Office or the Town Legal Department. You may also appeal any denial to the Illinois Attorney General. The Clerk’s Office and/or the Legal Department will assist you in explaining the appeal process.
Illinois Open Meetings Act
The Illinois Open Meetings Act sets forth the rules and regulations for public meetings of governmental bodies across the state of Illinois. The policy behind this act is that “…the people have a right to be informed as to the conduct of...” local and state government. Open deliberation and action are cornerstones of the Open Meetings Act requirements, along with good faith efforts to ensure convenient access to meetings for all members of the public.
The Illinois Open Meetings Act prohibits more than two Normal Town Council members to convene for the purposes of discussing or acting on government related business without appropriate public notice, access and record keeping. However, the law does allow for specific exemptions. In those instances, the Council will hold an Executive Session.
Public Comment at Town Council Meetings
The regular meetings of the Normal Town Council are held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Any regular meeting that falls on a Town holiday is held at the same time and place on the next day that is not a holiday. The purpose of the meeting is to take action on various issues pertaining to the Town of Normal.
Public comment is permitted at Town Council Meetings, assuming the following guidelines have been appropriately followed:
- Any person wishing to present public comment at any meeting must register at least 15 minutes before the beginning of the scheduled meeting, as stated on the agenda. The registration may be made in one of two ways: (i) on forms provided by the Town for that purpose; or (ii) by contacting the City Manager’s Office at least two hours before the beginning of the scheduled meeting, as stated on the agenda. In registering, the person wishing to present comment must provide his or her name and the agenda item, if any, that the comment will address.
- Comments germane to an agenda item will be heard immediately following the Pledge of Allegiance. Comments that are not germane to an agenda item will be heard immediately prior to the Concerns. All comments must be germane to matters concerning the business of the Town of Normal.
- The public-comment period for any single meeting may not exceed 30 minutes for public comments germane to agenda items and 15 minutes for comments on matters germane to Town issues. If there are more registered speakers than the time limit will allow, then the speakers permitted to speak at that meeting will be determined by lottery.
- No person may speak for more than three minutes.
- The chair may allow a person representing a group to speak on behalf of that group for no more than six minutes. Any person desiring this extended time period must so indicate when registering.
- The chair of the meeting shall determine the order of the speakers.
- The chair may create and enforce reasonable rules to preserve order and decorum (for example, prohibiting applause, cheering, booing, shouting, use of profanity, or the use of signs, banners, placards).
- Any person who violates these rules or who otherwise disrupts the order and decorum of the meeting may be removed.
- The chair may suspend the rules in order to provide more public comment, as he or she deems appropriate.
Public Hearings
The Mayor will call the public hearing to order and announce the topic. During the Public Hearing, the Mayor will ask if members of the audience wish to address the Normal Town Council regarding the issue under consideration. After being asked to step forward to the microphone, individuals should clearly state their name, address and whether or not they represent an organization. The same time limits that apply to Town Council Meetings apply to Public Hearings. The Mayor reserves the right to suspend these rules in order to provide more public comment, as deemed appropriate.
When neither the applicant, opponents or Staff have further evidence to produce, or when in the opinion of Council present, sufficient evidence has been presented, the Presiding Officer shall order the public hearing closed.
Work Sessions
On occasion, the Normal Town Council will hold a special work session to discuss significant projects, legislation or community issues. No formal action is taken in a work session; however, if a member of the public wishes to speak he or she should follow the same procedures outlined under the Town Council Meetings section.
Executive Sessions
Executive Sessions are closed meetings that allow the Town Council to discuss certain matters of sensitive nature. The Illinois Open Meetings Act specifies the type of topics that may be discussed in these sessions. Some examples include personnel matters, land acquisitions, collective bargaining and pending litigation. After the Town Council has determined that it is no longer necessary to protect the public interest or the privacy of an individual, minutes of closed meetings are made available to the public.
Order and Decorum at Meetings of the Town Council
The Mayor has the right to create and enforce reasonable rules to preserve the order and decorum of public meetings. This includes, but is not limited to, prohibitions of applause, cheering, booing, shouting, use of profanity, wearing of caps, and the use or display of signs or banners. Persons who violate these rules or otherwise disrupt order or decorum may be removed.
Addressing the Town Council Outside of Public Meetings
The public is encouraged to communicate their questions, concerns and suggestions to the Town Council at any time that may be convenient. Telephone and email contact information for the Mayor and Council is available here. Residents may also communicate in writing by sending a letter to the Office of the City Manager. Upon request, such communication will be copied and distributed to each elected official.
State of Illinois Freedom of Information Act
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows the public access to records maintained by local government with certain limitations. The Town Council has designated the Town Clerk as the Freedom of Information Officer. Therefore, it is the policy of the Town of Normal that all Freedom of Information Requests be submitted to the Clerk's office located at City Hall.
All requests must be in writing. It is not necessary to complete the Freedom of Information Request Form; however, all requests must be in writing and contain all pertinent information necessary to comply with the request. A request may be completed online, at the Clerk’s Office or in writing by fax or email.
All non-commercial requests will be processed by the Town Clerk’s Office within five working days of the actual filing. In some instances additional time may be needed to comply, depending on the nature of the request. You will be notified in writing if a time extension is required.
Non-Exempt documents are available for inspection without charge. There is a fee of $3.00 for a copy of a Police Accident Report. There is no fee for copies of other documents, unless the documents are 50 pages or over, and in that instance, a fee of $.10 per page will be charged.
Occasionally some information may be denied pursuant to the FOIA Act. You will be notified in writing if information is denied. You may discuss the denial with the Clerk’s Office or the Town Legal Department. You may also appeal any denial to the Illinois Attorney General. The Clerk’s Office and/or the Legal Department will assist you in explaining the appeal process.