Grants Pass council keeps 30-minute public-comment guideline and raises meeting-safety measures after confrontation

A Grants Pass City Council member described being confronted by a group after a recent gathering, and councilors used the workshop to discuss meeting safety and a longstanding public-comment guideline.

Early in the meeting a councilor described leaving a Friday-night gathering and being surrounded in a parking area by people who did not carry signs but who "...surrounded my truck... wouldn't let us leave" and who shoved a speaker against his vehicle, he said. The councilor said he called police and that officers responded afterward. He told the workshop he would recommend changes "solely to protect us, our family members, and the citizens that we serve" and that staff and council would discuss possible safety measures at future workshops.

Separately, the council revisited its customary rule limiting general public comment to a total of 30 minutes. Councilors discussed how to allocate time if the number of speakers exceeds the total allotment and agreed to retain the 30-minute guideline for general public comment, consistent with prior council practice. Staff said council can extend public comment during a meeting by council motion if members choose.

Council discussion distinguished general public comment from commentary tied to agenda action items and public hearings; councilors noted that much of the long meeting the prior week resulted from public input during action-item discussions rather than general public comment at the start of the meeting.

City staff agreed to prepare a memo providing details about the local closure of J Street that some councilors said had been extended without full notice, and to provide clearer notice procedures for council and the public about meeting logistics. Councilors said they would also consider security and public-safety measures for future sessions where high attendance is expected.

Councilors emphasized the balance between allowing public expression and maintaining safety and efficient council business. "These are volunteers. They're investing their time, and they deserve to be heard and to be effective," Councilor Joel King said in a related discussion about advisory committees; other councilors said consistent rules help manage expectations and meeting flow.