Flint City Council counsel: freestanding camera supports limited to northeast corner of chambers

Flint City Council heard a legal opinion that Resolution 240,181 restricts all freestanding camera supports, including single‑leg devices and phone supports, to the northeast corner of City Council chambers, and council members asked staff to enforce the restriction during a discussion in chambers.

The council sought legal guidance after questions about whether devices that require a person’s hand to balance qualify as “freestanding.” Attorney Wallace responded by citing a dictionary definition and the language of the city resolution: "After, looking at the, definition under Merriam Webster, standing alone or on its own foundation, free of support or attachments... the resolution 240,181, says that all use of freestanding camera stands, including but not limited to tripods, camera stands, and physical devices used to support or elevate cameras...is restricted to an area designated by the city clerk, in the Northeast corner of City Council Chambers," Wallace said. "Therefore, it's my legal opinion that whether it's a tripod standing on its own, or a, a single device that's used to support or elevate a camera, it should be restricted to the Northeast corner."

During the exchange a councilmember asked a person operating a recording device to move: "Sir, I'm gonna ask you to go back to the back corner, please," the councilmember said. A resident in the chamber argued a handheld single‑leg device required support, saying, "It's not free of support because it takes his hand to balance." The councilmember responded that the device also "says elevate, so he must be removed. He is elevating the camera."

Security staff noted concerns about attendees removed from the meeting lingering at the doorway: "In addition to people that have been removed from the meeting, they are not at liberty to block the doorway, hence the public safety plan," a security staff member said, and asked staff to ensure the doorway was clear. Another speaker emphasized limits on the council's authority outside the chambers, saying, "We have 0 jurisdiction outside of this chambers."

No formal motion or vote on amending Resolution 240,181 was recorded in the transcript. The recorded outcome from the discussion was a legal opinion from Attorney Wallace that the resolution's language covers both tripods and other camera support devices and a direction by council members and staff to enforce the designated recording area and keep removed persons from blocking the chamber doorway. The transcript did not specify any follow‑up timeline, disciplinary steps, or measurements for the designated area.

Council members and staff did not specify further procedural changes or a plan for clarifying the rule in written guidance; the transcript ends without a formal vote or additional directive beyond enforcement of the existing resolution.