Council clarifies public-comment rules and says department heads are not required to attend meetings

Garfield Heights' council leadership clarified ground rules for public comments and said department directors are invited but not required to attend council meetings.

During the caucus meeting the council president told members that "personal business is not discussed at Council" unless the individual has exhausted the city's internal complaint process and requested to speak during the public-comment period. The president said residents should first bring complaints to their council member and the relevant department, and only after those avenues are pursued can a person request to address council.

A resident's right to speak during the public-comment period remains intact, council members said, but the president stressed that items that have not gone through department review will be struck from the agenda unless the resident has followed the city's complaint process. "It does not mean that, the city on this part has not tried to resolve that issue with that individual. It just means that they disagree with the city's decision," the president said when asked to clarify.

Council members also asked whether department directors must attend meetings. Chief of Staff Durand told council there is no charter or ordinance requiring department heads to be present at council meetings. "Each director is obligated to supply the mayor with an update with respect to their department, prior to a council meeting," Durand said, adding that departments are asked to make directors available for caucus or for council when they have an item on the agenda. Durand said the city balances the directors' regular duties and their availability to answer questions at council.

Council members said they will continue to request that directors attend when their departments have agenda items or when follow-up is requested by council, and they encouraged residents to use established complaint channels before seeking council time.

Ending: Council said staff will continue providing written updates and will summon directors when council requires a direct departmental response; no policy change was adopted at the caucus meeting.