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Council advances ordinance to change order of public comment to first on meeting agendas
Summary
On first reading, Williamsport City Council approved an ordinance to move public comment to the start of council meetings, a change council members said will give residents faster access to staff and officials for answers.
Williamsport City Council approved first reading April 10 of an ordinance that would change the order of public comment so that residents speak earlier in the meeting. The proposed sequence places public comment first, followed by council comments and then administration remarks.
Councilmember Mackey, who sponsored the ordinance, said the change aims to let residents get answers while relevant staff and officials are present: “A lot of the issues that [residents] were raising, people who could answer those questions were sitting right here in the room,” he said. He added that moving public comment earlier should allow staff to take notes and provide immediate responses where appropriate.
Council approved the ordinance on first reading by a 7-0 vote; the measure will return for further readings as required by city procedure.
