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Committee weighs public-comment rules and use of AI summaries in communications plan
Summary
Narberth committee members reviewed a draft public-comment policy, debated requirements for sign-in/identification and chair discretion, and discussed using AI-generated meeting summaries as a tool for staff and the borough newsletter with caution about vetting before publication.
The Finance Administration Committee reviewed a new draft communications plan and public-comment guidelines and held an extended discussion about remote public comment and the possible use of AI-generated meeting summaries.
On public-comment rules, committee members agreed the policy should require identification of speakers by name and either an address or block number so staff can confirm residency; the draft will be edited to read that individuals “must state their name and address or block number” for the record. Members also agreed the meeting chair should retain discretion to structure public comment at the time of the meeting.
The committee added a new paragraph about remote public comment: remote attendees should understand that video or audio failure is the attendee’s risk and that meetings will generally proceed even if a remote participant’s connection is imperfect.
Members spent substantial time on the potential use of AI to generate meeting summaries. Staff circulated several summary styles — from brief headings to fuller article-style summaries — and committee members favored a short, nonjudgmental format with headings and two-sentence summaries per agenda topic. Committee members agreed that AI-generated summaries should not be auto-published; an administrative staff member must vet and approve any AI-generated text before release so it does not create duplication of work or circulate unverified minutes. One committee member suggested integrating useful AI summaries into the borough newsletter selectively (for meetings with high public interest) rather than pushing summaries for every committee.
The committee directed staff to produce another draft of the public-comment guidelines for next month and to draft communications principles that would guide use of AI summaries and any ward-level or individual council communications. Staff will review municipal examples and return with proposed guidelines.
