› Flat Chat Strata Forum › Strata Committees › ‘Mr Chairman, may I be permitted to speak?’ › Current Page
Jimmy is right about reasonableness and courtesy. If you exhibit these attributes, you should not be denied the opportunity to speak.
That said, permit me to throw in my 2c worth.
When I was Tsr of a large strata, we used to allow anyone (let’s call them “observers”) to speak on any issue listed on the agenda when the matter was discussed by the committee, so long as the person indicated he/she wanted to speak (by raising a hand) and spoke only after being recognised by the Chairman. They were always recognised by the Chair and only if they rambled on and on and on, were they asked to “wrap it up”.
If the observer wanted to discuss a matter not on the agenda then he/she should in advance of the agenda being circulated, advise the managing agent or the committee of the issue he/she wants to raise, have it listed on the agenda and, if the observer wants to give a positive impression, he/she could indicate their views on the matter to the committee in advance of the committee meeting.