Northport Approves Changes To Public Comment Policy

NORTHPORT, AL — The Northport City Council on Monday approved an update to city code to provide more time for citizens to submit a request to comment during an upcoming City Council meeting.

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Northport Assistant City Attorney Chris Cunningham explained that the only change to the ordinance will be pushing back the deadline for comment submissions from Wednesday at noon prior to the next regular Council meeting to Friday at noon prior to the next meeting.

The Council voted 3-0 to approve the measure, with District 2 Councilwoman Woodrow Washington III and District 4's Jamie Dykes both absent from the meeting.

As Patch previously reported, the measure was prompted after concerns were raised by citizens in June as the City Council moved to begin the process of marketing and potentially selling the Northport Community Center and its adjacent park.

Indeed, tempers flared during the meeting on June 5 as individuals opposed to selling the park demanded to have their concerns read into the public record.

However, communication broke down and Council President Jeff Hogg asked Northport Police officers to restore order during the meeting. As a result of that meeting, discussions quickly began on how to improve the city's system of receiving requests for public comment.

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