Standing Room Only: How to Effectively Approach Crowds at Public Meetings

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Online (Zoom)

This webinar will cover effective strategies for addressing both large and small crowds at public library board meetings. The speakers will discuss how to create and implement public participation policies, manage persistent or abusive comments, and regain control of meetings disrupted by an active crowd.

All ILA Noon Network webinars are free. The webinar recordings are available to ILA personal members shortly after the webinars. Registration for all live webinars is limited to Illinois libraries.

About the Speakers

Carmen Forte, Jr. counsels Illinois municipalities, school districts, libraries, special districts and corporate and non-profit clients. He regularly litigates in state and federal court and various administrative venues for clients in a range of matters. He works with our clients to negotiate and manage development agreements, helping to bring significant residential and commercial development to their communities.

He has prosecuted for the firm’s numerous municipal clients in the areas of DUI and traffic offenses, local ordinance violations and business, tobacco and liquor licensing matters. He also defends the firm’s clients in workers’ compensation claims, disability pension matters and matters under the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act (PSEBA).

Currently, Carmen serves as Village Attorney for the Village of Campton Hills, as Assistant Village Attorney for the Villages of Schaumburg and Vernon Hills, and as Special Counsel for the Village of River Grove.

Anne Skrodzki focuses her practice on representing public bodies in all areas of practice, including transactional matters as well as litigation and other disputes. She is also a trained mediator.

Prior to joining Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Anne engaged in a varied litigation practice, representing corporate and individual clients in a wide array of disputes. Anne received her A.B. degree, cum laude, from Harvard University in 2003 and her J.D., cum laude, from the John Marshall Law School in 2008. Anne is admitted to practice in Illinois and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Standing Room Only: How to Effectively Approach Crowds at Public Meetings