Public Hearing Notices

The public hearing is a common vehicle through which municipalities receive public input on a proposed action. Public hearings typically provide the public an opportunity to offer their thoughts on a policy matter or a specific proposal that is before the Town Council for decision.

The role of Town Council members is to hear and consider those views when making a decision.

Legal Notices

  1. Commemorative Street Name Change for Coach Kevin Moses
  2. Proposed Ordinance Amendments to Rights of Way Permit Manual

General Procedures for Public Hearings & Forums

These procedures are promulgated in accordance with the Bloomfield Town Council Rules of Procedure and shall be posted on the Town Clerk's bulletin board. The following represents the procedures for public hearings and public forums (including budget hearings), provided that the Mayor(2) may amend these procedures when conditions require or warrant:

  1. A sign-up sheet shall be provided at least fifteen minutes prior to the hearing.
  2. Speakers will be called in order from the sign-up sheet, provided that only those persons who have not yet addressed the Council on the issues subject to hearing shall be called.
  3. The Mayor may permit a presentation by the Administration prior to calling on members of the public.
  4. Unless the Mayor permits, or the Council waives its rules by a two-thirds vote, only Bloomfield residents or taxpayers may address the Council.
  5. All speakers will begin by stating their full name and address.
  6. After each person on the sign-up sheet has spoken, the Mayor may call on other persons who have not yet spoken who wish to address the Council.
  7. All speakers shall be confined to three minutes each, except that persons providing the Council with a recognized group's duly authorized position on an issue may speak for up to five minutes.
  8. Speakers may not yield their allotted time to others in order for others to expand their three minutes.
  9. If a hearing is continued to another date and time, the Council will continue the hearing by:
    1. Providing an additional sign-up sheet fifteen minutes prior to the continued hearing;
    2. First calling speakers from the original sign-up sheet who have not yet spoken;
    3. After completing the original sign-up sheet, calling speakers from the new sign-up sheet in the order in which they have signed said sheet, provided that only those persons who have not yet addressed the Council on the issues subject to hearing shall be called;
    4. After each person on both sign-up sheets has been given an opportunity to speak, the Mayor shall call on other persons who have not yet spoken at the original or continued hearing who wish to address the Council.
    5. At the conclusion of the hearing or continued hearing, the Council may, by majority vote, permit speakers who have already addressed the Council at the original or continued hearing to address them again for an additional three minutes. The Mayor may set a total time limitation for receiving such additional comments and shall announce such limitation prior to the above-referenced vote by the Council.
    6. If the number of speakers and the time obligations of the Council permit, the Mayor may announce, at the commencement of the hearing, that each speaker may have an additional specified time to address the Council.
      1. These procedures shall not apply to hearings or matters where procedures are subject to contrary state or federal law or regulation.
      2. Throughout this document, "Mayor" shall mean Mayor or, in the Mayor's absence, the presiding officer of the hearing or meeting