Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civic Process topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission restores public participation to start of meetings, limits speakers to three minutes
Summary
On second reading the commission voted 5-0 to amend the city code so that public participation appears near the beginning of meetings and individual speakers are limited to three minutes; commissioners also kept commission reports earlier in the agenda as amended.
The Tamarac City Commission on April 9 adopted a change to meeting procedures, restoring public participation to the beginning of the agenda and setting a three-minute time limit per speaker.
The ordinance (amendment to Chapter 2, section 2-34) returned to the commission on second reading after public pushback earlier in the month. Commissioner Marlon Bolton offered a friendly amendment during second reading to set the time limit at three minutes, which the assembly accepted. The commission also agreed to move commission reports to follow public participation.
Several residents testified in the item's public comment period thanking commissioners for returning public participation to earlier on the agenda. Commissioner Wright and others said the three-minute limit will help meetings run more efficiently while still allowing residents to raise concerns.
The ordinance passed unanimously on a roll-call vote and will take effect per the city's ordinance procedures. The city clerk will post the updated meeting order on the city website and staff said it will take effect immediately for the next meeting calendar.
Ending: Commissioners said they will monitor the change and may revisit the timing or length of comments if community feedback indicates a problem.
