Council to vote on new public speaking rules
LOCKPORT — A motion to put time limits on public speaking in Common Council
meetings will be voted on by the body when it meets Wednesday.
A proposed amendment of the rules and orders calls for imposing a time limit of three minutes per person speaking to the Council about meeting agenda items, and a limit of five minutes per person addressing the body after business meetings are adjourned.
Common Council President Joseph Kibler said per-person time limits will give all residents fair access to the microphone during Council meeting recesses. A few frequent speakers have monopolized the microphone to the extent they’re discouraging others from speaking, he said.
A second amendment to the rules and orders proposes new rules for aldermen trying to get late resolutions added to meeting agendas. If the amendment is passed by a Council majority, sponsors who miss the Thursday-before-the-meeting deadline would have to run their late resolutions past the mayor, the city attorney and the city clerk, and get approval from all three, before submitting them for Council consideration. The new system will help ensure late resolutions — which typically are not be seen by the aldermen until meeting night — are vetted before they’re voted on, Kibler said.
While I admit that sometimes I wish that a few speakers would just get to the point a little faster, I realize that not everyone is as articulate as Mayor Tucker. I think it would be helpful to at least have the Council agendas post on the City website on the Friday before the Common Council meeting, this would allow everyone who wishes to speak adequate time to either prepare their comments or contact their Alderman for information on a specific resolution.
The larger concern for all of us is the proposed second amendment which means the Council has to seek the Mayor's permission to put forth a late resolution. Apparently Joe (I don't want to improve the City) Kibler doesn't understand that it currently takes a majority vote of the Council to allow late resolutions to be added. Seems simple to me, need time to vet a late resolution, vote "no" to adding it. But, it's not really about that, is it Mike? It's about strengthening the Mayor and weakening the Common Council.
A proposed amendment of the rules and orders calls for imposing a time limit of three minutes per person speaking to the Council about meeting agenda items, and a limit of five minutes per person addressing the body after business meetings are adjourned.
Common Council President Joseph Kibler said per-person time limits will give all residents fair access to the microphone during Council meeting recesses. A few frequent speakers have monopolized the microphone to the extent they’re discouraging others from speaking, he said.
A second amendment to the rules and orders proposes new rules for aldermen trying to get late resolutions added to meeting agendas. If the amendment is passed by a Council majority, sponsors who miss the Thursday-before-the-meeting deadline would have to run their late resolutions past the mayor, the city attorney and the city clerk, and get approval from all three, before submitting them for Council consideration. The new system will help ensure late resolutions — which typically are not be seen by the aldermen until meeting night — are vetted before they’re voted on, Kibler said.
While I admit that sometimes I wish that a few speakers would just get to the point a little faster, I realize that not everyone is as articulate as Mayor Tucker. I think it would be helpful to at least have the Council agendas post on the City website on the Friday before the Common Council meeting, this would allow everyone who wishes to speak adequate time to either prepare their comments or contact their Alderman for information on a specific resolution.
The larger concern for all of us is the proposed second amendment which means the Council has to seek the Mayor's permission to put forth a late resolution. Apparently Joe (I don't want to improve the City) Kibler doesn't understand that it currently takes a majority vote of the Council to allow late resolutions to be added. Seems simple to me, need time to vet a late resolution, vote "no" to adding it. But, it's not really about that, is it Mike? It's about strengthening the Mayor and weakening the Common Council.
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