Tom Curtis to Damon Asbury: More time needed for Public Speaks

From Tom Curtis, January 30, 2007
Subject: 013007 Curtis To Asbury, Public Speaks Timing
Hello Damon,

You are the designated timekeeper for the public speaks portion of the monthly board meetings, allowing only 3-minutes per speaker. You have failed to do the job adequately or fairly in some instances and this is really inappropriate.

Now, I realize it would be difficult to both listen to what the speaker is saying and keep track of the time allowed, which is only part of my concern with this whole issue. However, Connie Ramser does not fail to ask he/she to sit down and made a big spectacle of such this month with Dr. Fluke, as you are well aware, but then she is a whole other issue.

Damon, you have failed on numerous occasions to provide the speaker with the one-minute warning, but only told he/she that their time was up. When you did that to me in November, I assumed you had indicated that I had one minute left, when I did not. The board chair, Connie Ramser was very happy to ask me to sit down before I had finished my presentation. What that resulted in, was that you came under fire twice from just one presentation, because I finished that presentation in January and your name was addressed in both parts of my presentation. I realize you take little offense to such, but this inconsistency is not acceptable and is very wrong on your part.

Further, you have permitted others to go beyond his/her 3 minutes, probably because you were caught up in what they had to say. I have no belief that you have failed to give the appropriate one-minute warning, or failed to stop someone at the 3-minute time on purpose. I would believe you would allow the speaker to finish, as you have done in the past.

You only indicated the 3-minute time when I spoke in November and did the same to Dr. Kay Fluke in January. This resulted in Ms. Ramser banging her gavel several times and loudly letting Dr. Fluke know that he was "out-of-order". I sure hope that the board minutes reflect such a display of disrespect for your stakeholders by Ms. Ramser.

A public speaker is only permitted three minutes to say what is on his/her mind. First of all, as you well know, I believe that little amount of time to be ridiculous and should be addressed at the retreat this week. Consequently, I will also ask that you bring this topic to the floor if Ms. Ramser does not. More time should be allowed given there are not 15 speakers. Many of us drive over two hours to come to the board meeting to be heard and are only allowed 3 minutes to do so. What is wrong with this picture? I already know the answer to that. The stakeholder is not welcome to bring negative comments to the board and neither you nor few on the board address those comments when made.

I have requested a change in this policy, both by email to the chair, Connie Ramser and during my 3 minute public address in January. I will hope to find this issue has been addressed this week and a response will be forthcoming.

Thank you,

Thomas Curtis

STRS Retiree