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Council debates pledge and public-comment timing; leaves practice unchanged for now
Summary
Council discussed meeting-structure changes, including public-comment timing and whether to reinstate the Pledge of Allegiance. Members and public commenters expressed split views; council left practice unchanged but said it can be revisited.
The council considered possible changes to meeting structure, including when to allow public comment (beginning vs. end of meeting) and whether to routinely recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Several council members and the city manager argued public comment at the beginning supports transparency and accessibility, allowing residents to speak before lengthy meetings. One council member opposed reinstating the pledge on separation-of-church-and-state grounds; other members and public commenters defended the pledge as a symbol of shared civic ideals. The city manager and legal counsel noted the pledge is optional and that public comment on every agenda item remains a transparent practice under state law.
Council took no formal action to change procedures, noting the item could be revisited. Staff was asked to consider an annual code-of-conduct review and possibly short, celebratory reports on volunteer activities at future meetings.
Provenance: Item 11 introduced SEG 1584; debate and public comment SEG 1584–1881.
