If you have a mouthful to say at Clarkston City Council meetings, you may end up eating your words. Council members are looking into a new public-comment policy for their meetings.
A policy proposal, which was drafted for Monday’s meeting but pulled from the agenda by Council member Eric Haven, would limit residents to three minutes at the beginning of the meeting to address the council on items on the business agenda of the meeting, or at the end of regular business to make general comments.
Citizens could additionally speak once during a public hearing for three minutes with prior notification to make an announcement or special presentation. When finished, they would have to return to their seats, and would not be allowed to return to the podium for any reason unless requested by the mayor or mayor protem.
Public comments have been contentious at recent City Council meetings.
At the Aug. 8 meeting, city resident Chet Pardee asked about Council member Michael Sabol’s inquiries into city finances regarding bridge work in Depot Park.
Sabol said city administration answered his questions.
“I got the information I wanted,” he said.
When pressed by Pardee, Sabol asked if he was being placed on trial.
“Do you think we’re in a courtroom and I’m being interrogated like I’m sitting on a witness stand,” Sabol asked.
“Chet and I must have made an impression at the last meeting,” said city resident Cory Johnston, former city council member and also a frequent commentator at council meetings.
The proposed policy would allow suspension of the three-minute rule for citizens or those representing neighborhood or community groups giving a special presentation, with prior notification. Yielding of time to others would be prohibited.
The mayor could also “call to order any person who is being disorderly by speaking when not having been recognized by the chair.” If continuing to be disorderly, the chair could order the person removed from the meeting.
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City Manager Carol Eberhardt asked city attorney Tom Ryan to prepare a resolution for City Council to consider regarding the library millage.
The resolution “reflects the fact that the mill rate for the library was taken out of the total mill rate levied this year, with the intent this was only to occur once, after the District Library Mill rate was approved,” Eberhardt said in her report to the Council, Aug. 22.
The resolution was requested for the Sept. 12 council meeting, she said.