CHARDON, Ohio — Geauga County commissioners have changed how the public can participate at board meetings, adding a new comment period at the start of each session and requiring speakers to sign up in advance.

The board adopted the revised policy Sept. 30. Under the change, residents may now comment at the beginning and again at the end of meetings. Speakers must sign in, wait to be called, state their full name and address, and limit their remarks to three minutes. Disorderly or disruptive conduct is prohibited. The changes took effect immediately.

Until this year, Geauga County did not have a formal, published policy on public comment. In January, commissioners adopted their first set of rules to standardize the process.

That policy limited comments to the end of meetings, after the a

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