Montgomery County                               2421

request of a majority of the Council, radio and television coverage may
be allowed at sessions, public meetings or at public hearings. Any meeting
or legislative session may be briefly recessed for the purpose of picture
taking or discussions with representatives of news media. At all times
representatives of news media are expected and shall maintain order and
decorum in keeping with the dignity of the governmental process and
shall refrain from interfering with this process.

2.6   Public Participation; Sign Limitation, Willful Disturbance and

Penalties.

Reasonable seating facilities shall be provided for the general public
at all sessions and public meetings, and the general public is encouraged
to attend. During a session or meeting, time may be provided at the
discretion of the President, or upon request of a majority of the Council
present, for members of the public to address the Council on pertinent
matters. Persons seeking to address the Council on a specific subject
should state reasons for an appearance in writing prior to the fixing of the
agenda for the Council, provided that this rule may be suspended by a
majority of the Council members present. Public hearings upon pending
legislation or the budget are convened for the express purpose of obtaining
public participation and comment. Such hearings shall not constitute a
legislative session. At all times, order and decorum shall be maintained
in keeping with the dignity of the governmental process, and no person
or groups shall interfere with this process, and the Council shall take all
necessary steps required to maintain order.

No signs, placards, posters or attention devices of any kind or nature
shall be carried or placed within the Council offices, hearing or conference
rooms, nor within any building in which is located the Council office or in
which the Council is meeting or conducting a public hearing. This pro-
hibition shall not apply to armbands, emblems, badges, or other articles
worn on the personal clothing of individuals, provided that such arm-
bands, badges or emblems are of such a size and nature as not to interfere
with the vision or the hearing of other persons at a meeting nor extend from
the body as may cause injury to another. Any person who shall violate
the provision above, relating to signs, or who shall willfully interrupt or
disturb Council proceedings, after warning to desist, may be removed
from the premises and shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon convic-
tion by any court of competent jurisdiction, be subject to a fine of not more
than $1,000.00, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.

2.7    Notice.

It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to notify members of the
Council, and to make available to the general public through the news
media, and furnish upon individual request of members of the public,
information as to the time and purpose of all regularly scheduled and
special meetings and sessions, as well as known items of agenda and
matters pending before the Council.

Section 3. AGENDA.

3.1 Preparation of Agenda.

The Secretary shall, under the direction of the Council President,
prepare a written agenda for each legislative session or business meeting
which shall include the following, as applicable.

a. Numbers and title subject summary of all bills to be introduced
and the name (s) of the Councilman introducing each bill, if any.