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Atwater Council moves general public comment to earlier in meeting to boost accessibility
Summary
Following constituent requests, Atwater council voted Jan. 12 to begin general public comment immediately before the consent calendar so residents who cannot stay late can address the council earlier in the evening.
Atwater’s City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 12 to move the general public comment period to earlier in the agenda, immediately after presentations and before the consent calendar.
Councilmember Kalisa said she placed the item on the agenda at the request of a constituent who noted that lengthy meetings and late hours make it difficult for some residents — especially elderly people — to participate. Council discussion noted tradeoffs: one member said moving comment earlier can make it harder to hear subsequent parts of the meeting, while others said greater accessibility for speakers is a priority.
Councilmember Rochester moved to implement the timing change tonight; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call. The mayor then read the public comment rules informing residents that comments are limited to three minutes, that speakers may state their name and address or decline to, and that items not on the agenda will not be acted on the same night but referred to staff for follow-up.
The council opened the new early public comment period immediately, and several residents used the opportunity to raise theft, park encampment and development questions.
