At some meetings the City Council has had to deal with the yellow public comment request forms being submitted to City Clerk Josie Herrera – who passes them on the Mayor – after the comment period started, which can impact the concentration of whomever is at the podium addressing the Council. The late requests can also distract the Council from listening to the speaker’s comments. Although the presiding Mayor – who calls the names of those who have submitted public comment requests – usually announces the deadline for written requests, there continued to be stragglers.The new rules governing Public Comment on non-agendized items move the late speaker requests to the back of the line. If such requests are submitted after the beginning of the Public Comment period, they will not be allowed to speak. As an alternative, those who were tardy with the request to speak may be recognized for comment at the conclusion of the City Council meeting.The Council Rules and Procedures reviewed by the Council – adopted in March 2005 – lacked specific language governing tardy public speaker requests.
S.P. City Council approves strict deadline rules for Public Comment
February 24, 2006
Santa Paula City Council
Those wishing to make public comment at City Council meetings better be on time, after tighter rules governing tardy speaker requests were adopted.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThose wishing to make public comment at City Council meetings better be on time, after tighter rules governing tardy speaker requests were adopted. The City Council addressed the issue during a recent review of procedural rules for conducting meetings, where all aspects of Council sessions and other related topics were discussed. Several members of the Council had asked City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz that the procedural rules be agendized for review.General Public Comment addressing items not the evening’s City Council agenda is held after scheduled presentations and before the Council gets down to business. Public Comment can also be made regarding items on the Consent Calendar – those items considered routine and not necessarily requiring Council discussion – or during the public hearings on specific agenda items.During the January 3 meeting, the City Council discussed implementing a “cutoff time” for the public to submit comment cards, and allowing a second public comment prior to the conclusion of the meeting.
