St. Helens council posts clarification on public comment rules, meeting minutes and utility fee; public commenters press free‑speech concerns

City staff read a clarification memo on March 5 saying Oregon law does not generally require governing bodies to provide public testimony at work sessions and that written minutes need not be verbatim. The memo said the city’s operating rules nonetheless set visitor comments at work sessions and directed that regular-session visitor comments occur at the end of meetings. It also noted the council has taken no action to increase the public safety fee on utility bills.

The memo matters because several residents had raised questions about whether the council’s past practice gave the public a meaningful opportunity to speak and whether the meeting record accurately reflects prior discussions. The city emphasized staff would upload the clarification to the city website and asked members of the public who want follow‑up to leave contact information on the sign‑in sheet.

In remarks during visitor comments, a resident who identified themself as "Even Tropez" said they had pursued free‑speech complaints to the state and federal levels and warned against restricting public input. "The freedom of speech requires that the good, the bad, the lies, the truth, and dislike in the praise all be heard," the speaker said, calling recent limits on comment a reduction of public access. Other commenters questioned why recordings or minutes did not reflect past discussions about changes to utility rates.

City staff reminded the public that Oregon guidance (cited in the memo) requires minutes or a recording to include members present, motions and their disposition, and vote results; it does not require verbatim transcription. The memo included a link to the Oregon Attorney General’s Public Records and Meetings Manual and cited what it described as ORS guidance on written minutes and recordings.

Council members and staff acknowledged the community’s concerns about timing for public comments (the council’s rules give speakers three minutes during visitor comment) and about how to follow up on recorded statements. No formal action or vote to change the city’s public‑comment rules or the public safety fee was taken at the meeting; staff said they would make the clarification memo available online and follow up directly with members of the public who requested contact.

The visitor‑comment period concluded and the council then moved on to the next agenda item, the recreation program report.