Mayor Clarifies Stance on Public Comments at Meetings

Dear Editor:

I am responding to clarify my views on public comment referenced in a on Novato Patch.

Under most circumstances, the public should have three minutes in which to address the City Council with their views and concerns. In those instances where there are a very large number of speakers, reducing the time allocated to the speakers to two minutes will allow the council to hear from more people.

In my experience on the City Council and previously as a Planning Commissioner, this has been an effective way to make sure we hear from everyone when there is a large crowd. This allows us to obtain the broad perspectives of our residents while still being able to transact the city’s business within reasonable hours during the evening. Other cities, counties and the legislature use this approach in similar situations.

When our meetings go very late, the number of residents who can stay in person or watch from home diminishes, reducing the amount of participation in the democratic process. At our last City Council workshop on affordable housing, we allocated two hours for public comment, each speaker had three minutes, and we were able to hear from everyone. 

Madeline Kellner

Mayor, City of Novato