Margate Commission Approves Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings

by David Volz January 22, 2026

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{City of Margate}

The Margate commission passed a resolution approving the Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings at its January 21 meeting.

For instance, it states that if all the seats in the chambers are filled, then members of the public will remain in an area outside the chambers.

According to the resolution, members of the public may ask to be recognized to speak by walking up to the podium and stating their name and address for the record. Until the presiding officer opens the floor for public discussion, members of the public shall remain seated during the meeting.

Members of the public may speak only at the times designated by the presiding officer, and there should be no conversations among audience members during the meeting. All public questions to the City Commission should be addressed through the presiding officer and responded to at the presiding officer’s discretion.

The length of time each person may speak is limited to three minutes in the interest of keeping order and conducting business at hand. No person shall disturb or interrupt any public meeting. No personal, verbal attacks toward any individual by either a member of the commission, staff, or members of the public shall be allowed during any meeting of the commission.

The presiding officer may instruct any member of the public who violates these rules to leave the public meeting. It will be unlawful for any person to refuse to leave chambers where the meeting is being conducted when instructed to do so by the presiding officer, according to city information.

There was no discussion among the commissioners on this item, but in recent years, there have been contentious meetings in which strong emotions were expressed.

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Author Profile

David Volz

David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.