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Newberg council keeps general public comment, agrees to add decorum rules after heated public input
Summary
After hours of public testimony, the Newberg City Council voted to add formal decorum standards to its council rules but decided not to eliminate general (non‑agenda) public comment; staff will work with legal to refine language and return draft changes to council.
The Newberg City Council on Feb. 2 moved to add formal decorum standards to its meeting rules while declining a proposed ban on general public comment, following extensive testimony from residents and advice from the city attorney.
Mayor Rosacker opened the meeting by urging civility and saying staff had proposed limiting public comment because recent remarks had occasionally focused on matters outside the council’s authority and had strained staff resources. "This public comment period is your opportunity to demonstrate civility before the council deliberates," Rosacker said during his opening remarks.
Rachel Thomas, the city recorder, presented a two‑part proposal: formally add decorum standards into council rules, and consider eliminating general public comment and allowing comment only on items listed on the agenda. City Attorney James told the council that Oregon law does not require general public comment at every meeting, and that time, place and manner restrictions may be applied so long as they are content neutral.
More than a dozen residents urged the council to preserve general public comment. "Eliminating that opportunity ... isn't efficiency. It's silencing," one speaker who uses a mobility device told the council, arguing that removing general comment would disproportionately hinder people who cannot predict which agenda items will affect them or who need flexible accommodations. Several speakers also circulated a petition opposing any limitation on content of public comment; the petition sponsor said it had more than 200 Newberg signers and additional signatures from nearby cities.
Council discussion tracked the public input. Some councilors said decorum standards were reasonable and necessary for safety and to protect staff; others warned that restricting topics risks the appearance of retaliation and could reduce transparency. Councilors sought assurances from legal staff that any limits would be applied neutrally. By the end of the discussion the council asked staff to proceed with adding decorum language and to work with the city attorney on final wording; councilors also indicated no appetite to eliminate general public comment at this time.
The council’s next step is procedural: staff will gather suggested edits from councilors, work with legal counsel to wordsmith a decorum section, and return a revised draft for formal consideration at a subsequent meeting.
