City Manager Ray Griffin recommended a “tweaking” of the current public comment policy to “streamline it and make it more clear” during Monday’s regular meeting of the Henderson City Council.
The revised policy differentiates public hearings from the balance of the agenda to eliminate confusion.
Frequently members of the public sign up for making a public comment when they are actually present to make remarks during a public hearing. Citizens wishing to speak at a public hearing need not sign up to be heard; however, those wishing to make comments during the public comment portion of the hearing must.
Member Lonnie Davis expressed an opinion that the mayor should be the last member of the council to address a citizen making a public comment. He said that he does not think the council should “yea or nay” the person who is speaking, because “we’re not listening to the person on the other side”.
Henderson Mayor Pete O’Geary said that questions should be held and asked at the workshop session [of the city council].
Member Garry Daeke said that public comment was being made more available by the changes. There will now be two public comments periods. One will come after public hearings are held, and the other will occur after the consent agenda item, usually item XI on the agenda. Daeke added that the new policy is “clear” and it “gives the mayor guidelines”.
When Davis asked if his contribution about the mayor being the last one to speak could be added to the policy, Griffin responded affirmatively.
Griffin said that he and City Clerk Pamela Glover would work on “operationalizing” the policy. A summary of the policy will be placed on the agenda, and placing the policy on the city’s Web site was also mentioned.
Davis asked O’Geary if he were to bring up “two or three people” to the podium if the time he has to speak would be split among them. The mayor responded that he will recognize one person at a time. He added that if they are signed up to speak, they will speak.
“The key is to sign up,” Daeke said.
O’Geary went on to say that yielding minutes “will create problems”.
Member Mary Emma Evans said that some speakers “don’t know they’re not supposed to call city officers’ names. That’s an easy way for some of our employees to get hated in the city.” Evans is most likely referring to a public comment made by the Reverend C.J. Dale and Henderson resident Theodous Bryant regarding alleged abuses by Henderson Police Department officers during a recent arrest.
O’Geary said before the motion was unanimously passed that he would “address that”.