The general public needs to know the purpose of the hearing or meeting and the nature of any proposal. Any other course of action will result in misunderstandings detrimental to the Department. The Department's latitude for public dialogue and interaction in public meetings is normally greater than through public hearings. Public meetings are useful to facilitate communication and understanding when public input or reaction is sought prior to setting a definite course of direction. Dialogue and interaction with the public in public hearings is more formal involving legal requirements for public notice and taking of recorded testimony.
Public hearings are usually the direct result of specific statutory provisions.
It does apply to statutory requirements for hearings and to deliberate initiatives the Department undertakes when it seeks public input or response to these initiatives. In all public hearings and meetings conducted by the Department, an opening presentation clearly explaining the purpose of the meeting or hearing shall be made. The presentation shall explain the purpose and any proposal at hand. In the situation where a license or permit application are involved with the Department deciding the matter, the explanation must be sufficient to provide the public a reasonable understanding of the application. 2.Discussion of any alternatives considered.