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Public commenters urge refund for cited street preacher, call for community inclusion in Medford
Summary
At the April 2 council meeting, Logan Vaughn urged the council to refund a $250 citation issued to a street preacher and criticized Main Street reconfiguration; Michael Velasquez spoke about DEIA and read the 2040 vision plan core line 'Medford, a hometown for all.'
Two members of the public addressed the Medford City Council during the April 2 public comment period, raising separate concerns about a municipal citation and the city’s equity and inclusion goals.
Logan Vaughn said a downtown street preacher named John Peterman was cited for unnecessary noise and called the enforcement a “travesty of justice.” "This poor man preaching, we need to get his money back to him," Vaughn said, asking the city to refund the $250 citation and criticizing the city’s use of resources to pursue the case. He also referenced concerns about the Main Street reconfiguration and urged public outreach on options.
Michael Velasquez identified himself as a Medford resident and chair of the city’s Commission for Access, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. He described DEIA as more than definitions and cited ongoing city efforts — accessible walkways, expanded services for older adults, language resources, health and harm-reduction services, and funding for community organizations — as examples. Velasquez read a portion of the city’s 2040 vision plan, quoting the core vision statement: "Medford, a hometown for all." He urged the council to keep local priorities in focus and to continue advancing access, inclusion and supports for vulnerable populations.
City staff recorded one written comment received in advance from Bob Shand asking the council to conduct public outreach on Main Street reconfiguration options; staff said written comments are posted on the city website.
No formal council action followed these comments during the meeting; the public comment period ran from 6:05 p.m. to 6:35 p.m. and the council moved on to other agenda items.
