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2. Public Comment Submission Information

   The Albany Common Council encourages members of the public to provide public comment and provides this online public comment form to facilitate communication between constituents and the Council. Those wishing to speak before the Council will be called on a first-come, first-serve basis. In order to be fair and courteous to all speakers, please adhere to the following guidelines:

   • Online requests to provide in-person public comment must be submitted by 6:00 PM the day of a regular meeting, or more than 30 minutes prior to the noticed start time for all other meetings, to be included in that meeting's list of speakers. Physical sign-up sheets are available in the Council Chambers that may be submitted shortly before the meeting start time.
   • Proceed to the public speaker seat in a timely manner (a microphone may be provided to accommodate those with mobility concerns). Your time will be deemed forfeited if your name is called twice and there is no response.
   • Plan for your comments to fit in a three- to five-minute window. Depending on public turnout, the time allotted to speakers may be reduced to three minutes per person to accommodate as many speakers as possible. This can only be determined once all public speaker sign-ups are collected at the start of the meeting.
   • Be mindful of maintaining decorum in the Chambers while providing public comment.

   Please note:

   • Copies of written comments are shared with each council member prior to each meeting.
   • Names and addresses of public speakers are recorded in the minutes.

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   Public Hearings

   Separate from written or in-person public comments, Public Hearings held before the Common Council shall conform to the dignity and decorum of the Council and to the specific legislation or purpose subject to the Public Hearing—general comments are not permitted. The President of the Common Council, as the presiding officer, shall preside over the Public Hearing and shall determine and be responsible for the procedure of the Public Hearings. Those wishing to speak shall state their name and organization represented, if any. After being heard, said speaker shall return to the public gallery behind the bar of the legislative body.

4. Meeting Date*
   Meeting Date
6. Name (First and Last)*
7. Phone Number
8. Email
10. Street Address*
11. Address 2
13. City*
14. State*
15. Zip Code*

17. Remote participation has been authorized for regular meetings of the Common Council (first and third Monday of each month, and Thursdays if the Monday is a holiday) and for committee meetings as noticed.

    Remote participation in the public comment period will only be allowed if your username is recognizable by at least your first name and the initial of your last name so that you may be located and manually unmuted by staff. The remote participation sign-up period closes half an hour prior to a noticed meeting.

    A link for remote participation will be provided 15 minutes prior to the meeting being conducted with videoconferencing to all members of the public who signed up in advance.

19. Would you like to speak at this meeting?*

    1. Yes (in-person)
    2. No
    3. Public Hearing (see above description)
20. Would you like to be added to the Public Notices email list?*

    1. Yes
    2. No
22. Topic*

    (Maximum Length: 50 characters)

24. Statement

    (Optional)

Leave This Blank:


25. 1. Receive an email copy of this form.
26. Email address

    This field is not part of the form submission.

27. Submit

* indicates a required field