Public request to speak

You can view and manage requests to speak online on the Public request to speak page. Each request includes the name of the person who submitted it, their contact information, and their comments or questions. You can create an agenda with a Public comment section, and then share it or publish it in advance of the meeting to collect requests to speak. The public can submit their requests to speak from the Public site after you enable request to speak in your settings. When you approve a request, it will be visible during the live meeting. This section includes a description of the Public request to speak page.

1. To view the Public request to speak page, select the Request to speak icon on the Navigation Bar on the left of the home page.

2. An indicator appears next to the icon when a new request has been submitted. Use the indicator to identify the number of submitted requests.

3. To view a list of submitted requests, select the Submitted tab.

4. Select a request to view more details, such as the submitter’s name, their contact information, and their questions or comments.

Manage requests to speak

You can add, approve, remove, and respond to requests to speak from the Public request to speak page. This section describes how to manage requests to speak.

Add a request

You can create a request to speak, and then submit it on behalf of a member or the public.

1. To create a request, select +Request on the top right. The Request content dialog appears.

2. Enter requestor’s first name, last name, and email in the Contact information section.

3. Select and confirm the relevant meeting for the request on the Meeting dropdown menu from the list of meetings that displays.

4. Select a meeting date and time from the list.

5. You can enter a question or a comment in the Topic field.

6. To submit, select Submit Request.

7. The request is visible on the Submitted tab until you approve or remove it.

Approve a request

You can approve a request to speak to add it to the live meeting.

1. To approve a request, select Approve. The Approve with comment dialog appears.

2. If the meeting agenda does not contain a Public comment section, you can add one to the agenda by selecting Add section to agenda.

3. If the meeting agenda contains more than one Public comment section, select the Section menu to expand on the available list, and then select the relevant section to add the request.

4. You can enter a message in the Comments to submitter field.

5. Select Add to Agenda. An approval email is sent to the submitter with your message if you have added one.

   Note

   Approved requests are visible on the live meeting page. They are not available in the meeting agenda.

   Note

   You can update the content and instructions in the approval email in Community settings.

6. To view approved requests, select the Added tab on the Public request to speak page. The added requests are listed in the order in which they were submitted.

7. To undo an approval, select options , then select Move back to submitted. A confirmation dialog displays.

8. Choose Move to proceed with moving the request back to Submitted. Alternatively, choose Cancel to stop the move.

Remove a request

When you remove a request to speak, the submitter is notified.

1. To remove a request, select Remove. The Reject and remove item dialog appears.

2. Enter a message in the Comments to submitter field.

3. To complete the removal, select Reject. An email is sent to the submitter with your message.

4. To view removed requests, you can select the Removed tab on the Public request to speak page. The removed requests are listed in the order which they were submitted.

5. To undo a removal, select options , then select Move back to submitted. A confirmation dialog displays.

6. Choose Move to proceed with moving the request back to Submitted. Alternatively, choose Cancel to stop the move.

Respond to a request

You can respond to a request through email and suggest changes.

1. Select the Submitted tab on the Public request to speak page.

2. Select options on the far right against the relevant request, then select Request changes. The Request changes dialog displays.

3. If needed, enter a message in the Comments to submitter field.

4. Select Request Changes. An email is sent to the submitter.

5. The request remains on the Submitted tab. You can view Awaiting requested changes next to requests with pending changes.

Add or update a Public comment section

When you approve a request to speak, you need to save it in a Public comment section of an agenda. You can add, edit, and remove Public comment sections in the Agenda Builder.

1. Create a new meeting or select an existing meeting to view the Meeting details page.

2. To open the Agenda Builder, select Edit.

3. To add a Public comment section, move to the bottom of the page to +Section.

4. Select the arrow next to + Section, then select Add public comment section.

5. The Public comment section appears at the end of the agenda. You can edit and format the text. You can also reorder the agenda by moving the Public comment section.

6. To change a section into a Public comment section, first select options to the far right of the agenda section, then select Turn section into public comment.

7. To remove a Public comment section, select options to the far right of the section, then select Delete.

8. To change a Public comment section into a Consent section, select Transform to section (consent).

9. To change a Public comment section into a Standard section, select Transform to section.

   Note

   If you remove or change a Public comment section, you also remove the requests to speak that you approved and saved in that section.

10. To publish a meeting and make the public agenda available on the Public site, select Publish.

Submit a request to speak from the Public site

After you publish a meeting with a Public comment section in the agenda and you’ve enabled the request to speak option in Settings, the public can view your code of conduct and submit a request to speak from the Public site. This section describes how to create a request to speak on behalf of a member of the public from the Public site.

1. You can navigate to the Public site by selecting the Public site icon on the Navigation Bar on the left of your home page.

2. To view the site as the public sees it, select Public view on top of the page.

3. To view your code of conduct, select the Citizen engagement panel.

   Note

   You can update the code of conduct to set a tone of professionalism and respect and to establish expectations of meeting attendees in Settings.

4. To view a published meeting agenda, select the meeting name. The meeting details appear.

5. Select Request to speak in the meeting details to create a request to speak.

6. The Request content dialog displays. Enter a first name, last name, and email address in the Contact Information section.

7. If needed, enter a question or a comment in the Topic field.

8. To confirm the meeting, select the menu in the Meeting You’d Like to Speak at section. A list of available meetings displays.

9. Select the relevant meeting date and time from the list.

10. Before you can submit the request to speak, you’ll need to confirm the code of conduct. To confirm, select the checkbox against I will abide by the code of conduct.

11. Select Submit Request to Speak to submit the request. An email is now sent to the email address you entered in the Contact Information section above, confirming that the request to speak was submitted.

View requests to speak during a live meeting

You can view the requests to speak that you approved and added to an agenda during the live meeting. This section explains how to manage requests to speak on the live meeting page.

1. To start a live meeting, open the Agenda Builder and select Live Meeting.

2. You can view requests to speak in the agenda’s Public Comment Section. The requests are listed in the order which you approved them.

3. Each request contains the first and last name of the person who submitted it and their question or comment, if also submitted.

4. To indicate whose turn it is to speak, select the radio button next to a request.

5. To set a timer, select Timer.

6. After the meeting is over, the requests to speak are available in the minutes. You can add notes and motions to capture the proceedings or motions that occurred during the live meeting.