New Comment Time Criticized by Public

Though it was a well-intentioned attempt to give the public more time to speak, the City Council this week found itself defending a decision to move the public comment session from the beginning of the meeting.

Several residents blasted the council Tuesday night for what they said was an attempt to limit criticism by forcing speakers to wait until the end of the session--which often runs as late 11 p.m. or midnight--to speak to the council on any issue.

The public comment session is reserved for speakers to address any subject that is not on the council’s agenda, including criticism of council decisions and grievances about city matters.

“You’ve decided to eliminate public comment as far as I’m concerned,” said resident Miguel Espinoza. “It is clearly a way of getting your critics out of the way.”

At an administrative retreat last weekend, the council decided to give the public additional time to address items on the agenda, including reports and study sessions, but they also opted to move the popular public comment session to the end.

Currently, speakers are restricted to talking for a maximum of six minutes during a council session.

The new plan will permit residents to speak for up to three minutes at the start of the meeting on agenda items only, three minutes at the end of the meeting on any topic, and immediately following every report discussed by city staff members.

Mayor Manuel Lopez said that if the changes do not work, the council could always return to the old system.

“I hope it will be an improvement, but everything we do is not cast in concrete,” he said.

“We ask for your indulgence. And hopefully it will be an improvement from what we have.”