The Sulphur City Council voted on Dec. 8 to amend its public-comment procedures to establish clearer time limits and a process for group representation. City legal counsel explained the resolution would set a three-minute rule for individual comments (which can be extended by a two-thirds council vote) and allow groups to designate a spokesperson who may use a collective block of time.

Council discussed the mechanics: under the amended language a group representative may speak for up to 12 minutes, with an additional five minutes reserved for rebuttal — amended on the floor to explicitly note a total of 17 minutes. The city attorney said the rule is intended to complement Robert's Rules of Order and to clarify practices that residents requested.

Several members of the public raised concerns about an apparent requirement to state a physical address while speaking. One commenter objected that publicly stating a home address could feel like 'doxxing' and said the address is already captured on the written speaker card. Council members and staff responded that the address is part of the public record on the card and agreed to add clarifying language; the city attorney said the council could choose how to implement the requirement and that the written card remains the official public record.

The council voted to adopt the resolution as amended and instructed the city clerk to publish the revised public-comment forms (the agenda item includes changes to the form and time-keeping procedures). The new rule will apply to comments on agenda items and to comments offered prior to the conclusion of the meeting under the charter section cited in the resolution.