This time has been set aside for persons in the audience to make comments or inquiries on matters within the general subject matter jurisdiction of the Board of Directors (the “Board”). Although no person is required to provide their name and address as a condition to attending a Board meeting, persons who wish to address the Board are asked to state their name prior to making their comments. Each speaker will be limited to three (3) continuous minutes. Speakers may not lend any portion of their speaking time to other persons or borrow additional time from other persons. Except as otherwise provided under the Brown Act (Gov. Code section 54950 et seq.), the Board may not deliberate or take action upon any matter not listed on this posted agenda but may order that any such matter be placed on the agenda for a subsequent meeting. The Board may also direct staff to investigate certain matters for consideration at a future meeting. In accordance with Gov. Code sections 54954.2 and 54954.3, all members of the Board are considered to be appearing at this meeting in their capacity as members of the Board, not members of the general public, and will therefore refrain from making comments during the public comment period so as to avoid any inadvertent interference with the right of the public to freely comment and/or the inadvertent raising of an issue not on the posted agenda. The Brown Act precludes a legislative body from prohibiting public criticism of the policies, procedures, programs, or services of the local agency or the acts or omissions of the body. § 54954.3(c). This restriction does not mean that a member of the public may say anything during public testimony. If the topic of the public’s comments falls outside the subject matter jurisdiction of the local agency, the legislative body may stop a speaker’s comments. A legislative body also may adopt reasonable rules of decorum that preclude a speaker from disrupting, disturbing or otherwise impeding the orderly conduct of its meetings. § 54954.3(b). The right to publicly criticize a public official does not include the right to slander that official, slander is an untrue defamatory statement that is spoken orally.