Overview   

The RTS (Request to Speak) Options are various Yes or No toggles that control actions around how, if, and when Members or other speakers (staff or public) may be recognized to speak. In addition, various options may be set here regarding the Public Timer.   

Details / Sequence of Events 

RTS Options is the fifth tab within Configuration Settings / Meeting Settings. Review the following links if you need to understand more about Configuration Settings: 

• Configuration Settings 

From the Main Menu select Meeting Settings, then select RTS Options (the fifth Tab) at the top of the screen and the following screen will display: 

The following explains the inputs for each field on the RTS Options tab: 

Request To Speak 

Enable Request to Speak Sequencing 

• Yes – Choosing this setting will cause a Request to Speak (RTS) button to display on the Member App. The actual text label of this button can be adjusted using the Voter Button Language table found on the Display Options Tab (2^nd Tab) in Meeting Settings. 

• No– Choosing this setting will disable the RTS feature on Member App Devices. Your members will need to use an alternate method, such as hand-raising, to get the chair’s attention if they wish to speak.   

Display RTS Requests 

• Yes – Choosing this setting will cause members’ Requests to Speak to display on both the Clerk’s Meeting Manager and the Public Display. 

• No– Choosing this setting disables the display of RTS requests on both Meeting Manager and Public Displays.  

Number the RTS Queue 

• Yes – Choosing this setting will cause members’ Requests to Speak to be numbered in the order in which their RTS button was pressed. Note: The Chair may recognize the speakers in any order desired, regardless of the order shown.  

• No– Choosing this setting will disable the display of the RTS Queue numbers.  

Mute Speakers During Voting 

If you are using the OpenMeeting Pro AV environment integrated with your Microphones, they can be controlled (On or Off) by the Meeting Manager software.  

• Yes – Choosing this option will unmute (or reactivate) any Member microphones when voting on an item is finished.  This option is useful if a committee chair, for example, introduces multiple motions one at a time and would be the first person recognized by the chair during discussion. 

• No– Choosing this setting will cause any member microphones that had been muted for voting to remain muted until the chair recognizes them during the discussion phase of subsequent agenda items.  

Automatic Speaker Recognition 

If you are using the OpenMeeting Pro AV environment integrated with your microphones, they can be controlled (On or Off) by the Meeting Manager software. 

• Yes – Choosing this setting will cause the first Member in the RTS queue to be recognized automatically.  The Chair does not have to manually recognize each speaker. 

• No– Choosing this setting will force Members to wait until recognized by the chair to get the floor. 

Start Timer Upon Recognition 

This option is relevant if you choose to use a Public Timer and establish a time limit for each speaker.  

• Yes – Choosing this setting will cause the Public Timer to display and automatically start its countdown sequence when a Member is recognized.  

• No– Choose this setting if you do not limit your members’ speaking time during the discussion phase of agenda items. 

Public Timer 

Show Public Timer 

This option governs if the Public Timer is available during a meeting. In most cases, we recommend setting this to Yes as you’ll have the option to use the timer or not for each agenda item.   

• Yes – Choosing this setting will provide the option to display a Public Timer for speakers. As you build your agenda, you’ll determine item by item if you will use the Public Timer or not. This option should also be set to Yes if you selected Yes to Start Timer Upon Speaker Recognition option above. 

• No– Choosing this setting will disable the use of the Public Timer throughout the system when conducting meetings.  

Default Time (drop-down menu) 

• Select the number of Minutes you wish to display whenever the Puplic Timer is activated for a Speaker.  The timer will always start counting down from this pre-set value. 

• NOTE: During any meeting, the Clerk can control the timer by changing this default timer value.  

Play Timer Expiration Sound 

• Yes – An audible sound will play when the Timer Alert value is reached during timer countdown. The system has a light 3-chime audible sound file set as a default. You may use any audible sound file you wish. Contact us if you wish to change this default alert sound to another.  

• No– Choose this if you don’t want a Timer Expiration Sound to play when the Timer Alert value is reached.  

Display Timer Alert 

• Yes – Choosing this setting will change the background color of the Public Timer (shown on the Public Display) to RED at the “Seconds Remaining” value you select in the next field. 

Seconds Remaining (drop-down menu) 

Enter the number of seconds remaining on the Public Timer when you would like the timer’s background color to change and for the alert sound to play.  

• No– Choosing this setting will disable the RED alert display during timer countdown.  

Play Alert Sound 

• Yes – Choosing this setting will cause an audible sound to play when the Public Timer countdown expires. The system has a loud single-chime audible sound file set as default. You may use any audible sound file. Contact us if you wish to change this default alert sound to another.  

• No– Choosing this setting will disable the Alert Sound when the Public Timer expires.   

You are finished with the RTS Options.  

Proceed to the Next Tab in Configuration Setup, which is Results. These are next to be setup for this new configuration. Use the following link to view Results Option Settings:  

Meeting Settings – Results  

Notes / Special Situations  

If you are having issues that are not successfully addressed above, or you are not successful signing into Meeting Manager, please call OpenMeeting Customer Support at 320.249.0555.