Arrive early.
OWEB Board meetings usually proceed through the agenda items in order. However, in special cases, the board may take items out of order. Also, if the board is aware that you are going to speak on a specific agenda item, they may request that you testify during that agenda item rather than during the more general public comment session. When it is time to speak, one of the co-chairs will call on you.
Begin by stating your name.
Start your testimony with, "For the record, [insert name], from [your affiliation]." Speak into the microphone. We suggest that you don’t provide the board with printed materials.
Make a specific request.
You should be able to state your request in one clear sentence. All of the points you make in your testimony should support this request. For example, if you want them to move your grant application "above the funding line," state so directly, and provide reasons why they should do so.
Practice.
Practice your comment before the meeting. Hints to make your message impactful: Write out what you’re going to say and practice it aloud several times until you can do it smoothly. You might try using a digital device (cell phone, etc.) to record yourself so you can hear yourself speak. Do you speak in a monotone? Do you repeat fillers (um..., and...,so...)? Even the best messages may lose meaning through poor delivery.
Keep it short (up to 3 minutes).
Substance, not length, determines the value of testimony. In addition to facts, tell a concise story about real people and show the board why they should listen to your perspective. If your comments run over time, you may be asked to conclude before you are finished. If there are a lot of public testimonies, the board may need to reduce time for each public comment, to keep the meeting on schedule.
Avoid repetition.
If others have raised the same points, simply endorse what they've said rather than repeating prior testimony in detail. If you come as a group, designate a spokesperson who can take the lead in introducing the issue and other members of the group. Group members are generally given the same amount of time as an individual speaker, but may be asked to limit their time in order to accommodate all who are interested in speaking to the board.