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Conroe council narrows public-comment scope, amends rules of procedure amid public objections
Summary
The council voted Jan. 6 to amend its rules of procedure to limit council members' responses to public comments to matters posted on the meeting agenda; the change drew immediate criticism from residents and at least one absent council member objected by written statement.
Conroe City Council on Jan. 6 approved an amendment to the council's rules of procedure that limits how members may respond to public comments and directs that responses be focused on items posted on the meeting agenda.
The change, presented to the council as an update to align meeting practice with Texas open-meetings guidance, prompted sustained disagreement during the special meeting. Several residents and council members urged caution, saying the amendment could diminish transparency and citizens' ability to raise off-agenda concerns.
City attorney Mike Garner briefed the council on legal constraints and said the law allows governing bodies to adopt reasonable, viewpoint-neutral rules that limit comment to agenda items. "A governmental body may…
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