From the Gason Gazette (3/14/12): Karen Turner barely made the deadline to talk before the Gaston County Board of Education when she signed up to speak about potential school closings three months ago.
The school board is the only elected board in Gaston County that asks people to submit a speaking request in writing 10 days before meetings to talk about subjects that aren’t on the meeting agenda.
Anyone who wants to talk about an item listed on the agenda can sign up at the door.
Gaston County Board of Commissioners and the 14 municipalities within the county don’t require advanced notice. Most councils simply ask that people sign up at the door. Others ask the people wanting to speak to come up to the podium during the public comments portion of the meeting. Residents are typically given two to five minutes to speak their mind.
In 2005, the General Assembly passed a law that requires boards of commissioners, city councils and school boards to provide at least one period of public comment each month at a regular meeting of the board.