Two recent meetings with long conversations on non-agenda items led the Clarkston City Council on Jan. 24 to institute a policy limiting speech during ‘public comments? to no more than five minutes.
City Manager Art Pappas raised the issue, suggesting a discussion of a possible time limit be placed on a future agenda. Council members took the initiative to adopt the policy that evening with relatively little discussion themselves.
The right-of-way rock issue on Wompole Drive did not appear as an agenda item at either the Dec. 13, 2004 or Jan. 10, 2005 council meetings, yet discussion on the issue took longer than other items which were listed on the agenda.
(A letter from Bruce Whitmer’s to Pappas protesting the Dec. 13 council decision appeared on the Jan. 10 agenda under ‘unfinished business,? but since it did not call for council action, the council voted to delete it from the agenda.)
Pappas said items requiring extended debate can be handled with advance notice.
‘If it’s a serious issue, it should be on the agenda,? he said.
Mayor Sharron Catallo said there may still be occasions in which non-agenda items need more than five minutes of discussion
‘Sometimes things arise,? she said.
‘Then it would be up to the council? whether to extend the limit, Pappas said.
‘You can always give them more time if you want to for a serious issue,? said Council Member Kristy Ottman.
After the unanimous vote, Catallo left the door open for future alternations to the policy.
‘If it doesn’t work out, well, it’s just a number,? she said.