Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Procedures topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Portsmouth commission adopts draft speaker rules but will trial secretary sign‑up process for a month
Summary
After debating capacity and access concerns, the commission approved draft speaker rules that require requests to be submitted to the commission secretary, then agreed to let the secretary trial a commission email/phone sign‑up process for one month and revisit designation of a designee.
The Portsmouth Crime and Gun Violence Prevention Commission on March 2 voted to adopt a draft public‑comment (speaker) policy but agreed to trial the secretary’s sign‑up process for one month while staff and commissioners determine whether a designee or alternate mechanism is needed to handle public requests.
Commissioner Redmond moved to allow open‑form speakers and the chair read the draft rules into the record, which require citizens to submit requests to the commission secretary prior to the call to order and allow up to five minutes of speaking time for public‑hearing items. The draft also stated that matters that could be handled in closed session would follow the city code provision referenced in the reading (transcribed as "Virginia code section 2.2, tack 3 7 1 1").
Several commissioners raised practical concerns about the implementation. Commissioner Redmond said many residents the commission serves “don’t have access to email,” arguing the sign‑up process must allow non‑digital methods. Commissioners also said the secretary, Chantel (Chantel/Chantelle Matthews in the transcript), was approaching capacity and that the commission should avoid adding an unsustainable workload to staff.
The city manager told the commission it could designate a board member or another staff designee to field requests if the commission preferred, and urged the body to adopt the existing council process rather than create a new system. The body discussed creating a generic commission email or a streamlined online form to reduce the secretary’s administrative burden.
Given those concerns, a motion was proposed to retract the vote and delay implementation until the commission identified a designee to field requests. After debate, commissioners agreed to let the secretary trial a commission email and phone contact for the coming month to gauge workload; the commission will revisit the policy and consider amendments (for example, allowing a designee) at a future meeting.
The chair summarized the outcome: the speaker rules were adopted and the secretary will pilot the sign‑up mechanism; staff will return with proposed changes if the trial shows the need to redistribute tasks or add a formal designee.
