Williamson County committee unanimously adopts broader public-comment rule to match state law

A Williamson County Board of Commissioners committee voted unanimously to amend county rules to allow public comment on any county-related matter at committee meetings, the panel said during a brief session.

The committee adopted a resolution to revise the board's rules, regulations and procedures on public comment after a presenter explained that recent changes in state law permit citizens to address topics beyond items formally listed on a committee agenda. The presenter said, "this is just simply getting the rules in line with state law." The committee chair called for a voice vote and marked the motion unanimous.

The change removes the previous local limitation that restricted speakers to agenda items for that specific meeting, according to the committee discussion. A committee member who spoke in support said the amendment was appropriate and recounted a constituent's complaint that "Bobby Cook shut him down and told him he couldn't speak because it wasn't on the agenda," framing the revision as a correction of prior practice.

The meeting also handled routine business. Members moved to accept minutes from the Nov. 5, 2025 meeting; the motion was approved by voice vote. With no citizens present for public comment and no other business raised, a committee member moved to adjourn and the chair closed the meeting.

The resolution was adopted at the committee level to bring the county's public-comment rules into conformance with state law; the presenter and committee did not specify the state statute by citation during the discussion. Implementation steps and any changes to public-comment procedures at full board meetings were not detailed in the record.