Public Comments on Agenda for Wednesday

If council approves final reading of its amendment to the public comment ordinance Wednesday, unincorporated citizens and other non-town residents wishing to address council during its regular Wednesday meetings must sign up the Monday before.

Council has the final reading slated for the regular meeting 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at . No public hearing has been held regarding the proposed change. 

The amendment would affect the public comments period, held every regular meeting. Non-town residents would be required to sign up the Monday before with the topic they wish to address in front of council.

Councilman Aaron Brown initially expressed concern with the changes. Brown and Councilman Bob Jackson were the only two dissenting councilmembers during the August meeting, where the first reading passed by 5-2.

"It's important that we protect freedom of speech. I think it's important to allow nonresidents the opportunity to address council," Brown said Monday during the finance committee meeting. "Everybody is a taxpayer once they come to town … If you come from Germany and buy a Coca-Cola, you're immediately a taxpayer." 

However, Brown indicated he would likely vote for the amendment, since it didn't limit free speech like he thought it would. 

"What we're planning to vote on Wednesday night seems to be OK," Brown said. "The main thing is to have the individual identify themselves and identify the topic they want to speak on, and I think whether they're a resident or a nonresident is really not important to me."

To see what else council is addressing Wednesday, see the attachment to this story.