Township public speaking rules cover time limits, conduct, and a ban on disruptive behavior, balancing the public’s First Amendment rights with the need for orderly meetings.  The specific rules are set by Seneca Township.

• Sign-up requirements:  Anyone wishing to do public speaking to the board needs to sign in at the beginning of the meeting.  Any issue a resident wants the board to address at a meeting needs to be put on the agenda 48 hours prior to any meeting.
• Time limits:  Each speaker has three minutes to speak; The supervisor may choose to grant a speaker more time at its discretion.
• Designated speaker for groups:  To avoid repetitive comments from groups, the chairman may ask them to choose a single representative.
• Speaking once per topic: To prevent  repetitive commentary and give others a chance to speak, the supervisor may limit how many times a person can speak on the same topic.
• No debate with the board: Speakers are required to address the board as a whole and not to directly interrogate individual board members or staff.
• Decorum requirements:  Seneca Township can enforce rules against disorderly conduct that disrupts the meeting, including using threatening, slanderous, or obscene language.