Ferguson council votes to keep public comment at start after legal review

At the Aug. 26 Ferguson City Council meeting, a motion to move the public-comment period from its current place in the agenda to after new business failed after legal review and a roll-call discussion.

The proposal was introduced by Councilman Palmer, who said moving public comment "will calm tempers, but also it'll allow people, the public, the right to speak after we've gone through the business of the meeting." Palmer said the change would let residents address items raised during the meeting without waiting weeks for the next session.

City Attorney Ryan responded that municipal rules govern the order of business. Ryan told the council that "chapter 2-28 ... the order of business of the council should be as follows" and read language indicating public comment appears in the prescribed order. Mayor Jones and other council members noted past attempts to move the item and said the charter and ordinance language constrain a same-night change.

Opponents said moving public comment could prevent the public from speaking about items during second readings and would reduce transparency. Councilman Franklin said he had not been consulted in advance and questioned the motive of the last-minute proposal. Councilwoman Covington and others said keeping public comment at the front prevents older or time-constrained residents from leaving before they have an opportunity to speak.

After discussion and a roll-call, the motion to move public comment was not adopted. Several council members said they were willing to discuss a future ordinance amendment but rejected changing the order of business that evening.

Council members agreed to consider a fuller discussion of the ordinance language and process at a later work session before any formal change was pursued.