City Details Changes to Public Comment During City Council Meetings

Troy City Council , which included changing the time limit for public comment from five minutes to three, separating public comment on agenda items from public comment on non-agenda items, and requiring those who wish to make a public comment to sign up to speak within thirty minutes before or within fifteen minutes after the meeting’s start time.

The following is a detailed explanation of the changes, as provided by the Troy City Clerk's Office. The changes listed below will go into effect at the Sept. 10 Troy City Council meeting.

New Agenda order

Public comment will now be divided into items on the agenda and items not on the agenda. The order of the Agenda for Regular Meetings from now on will be:

Invocation
Pledge of Allegiance
A.  Call to Order
B.  Roll Call
C.  Certificates of Recognition and Special Presentations
D.  Carryover Items
E.  Public Hearings
F.   Public Comment for Items On the Agenda
G.  City Council/City Administration Response/Reply to Public Comment
H.  Postponed Items
I.    Regular Business
J.   Consent Agenda
K.  Memorandums and Future Council Agenda Items
L.  Public Comment for Items Not on the Agenda
M.  Council Referrals
N.  Council Comments
O.  Reports
P.  Study Items
Q.  Closed Session
R.  Adjournment

Sections F and L are now the two Public Comment portions. Section F is strictly for items listed on the current Agenda, and Section L is for any topic not addressed on the current Agenda.

Speakers will have three (3) minutes to speak in either or both Public Comment sections. So, potentially, one speaker could speak for a total of six (6) minutes per meeting as long as the guidelines for each section are observed.

Changes to public comment

Any person not a member of the City Council may address the Council with recognition of the Chair, after clearly stating the nature of his/her inquiry or comment. 

However, City Council requests that if you do have a question or concern, to bring it to the attention of the appropriate department(s) whenever possible. If you feel that the matter has not been resolved satisfactorily, you are encouraged to bring it to the attention of the City Manager, and if still not resolved satisfactorily, to the Mayor and Council.

Public comment guidelines:

• Petitioners shall be given a fifteen (15) minute presentation time that may be extended with the majority consent of City Council.
• Any member of the public, not a petitioner of an item, shall be allowed to speak for up to three (3) minutes to address any Public Hearing item.
• Any member of the public, not a petitioner of an item, shall be allowed to speak for up to three (3) minutes total to address Postponed, Regular Business, Consent Agenda or Study items or any other item on the Agenda as permitted under the Open Meetings Act during the Public Comment for Items On the Agenda portion of the Agenda.
• Any member of the public, not a petitioner of an item, shall be allowed to speak for up to three (3) minutes to address any topic not on the Agenda as permitted under the Open Meetings Act during the Public Comment for Items Not on the Agenda portion of the Agenda.
• All members of the public who wish to address the Council at a meeting shall be allowed to speak only if they have signed up to speak within thirty minutes before or within fifteen minutes after the meeting’s start time. Signing up to speak requires each speaker provide his or her name and residency status (Troy resident, non-resident, or Troy business owner). If the speaker is addressing an Item (or Items) that appear on the pre-printed agenda, then the speaker shall also identify each such agenda item number(s) to be addressed.
• City Council may waive the requirements of this section by a majority vote of the City Council members.
• Agenda items that are related to topics where there is significant public input anticipated should initiate the scheduling of a Special meeting for that specific purpose.

Announcing the changes

Prior to Public Comment for Items On the Agenda, the Mayor will provide a verbal notification of the rules of decorum for City Council meetings. In addition, the written Agenda Packet will include the following language, as approved by City Council:

"The audience should be aware that all comments are to be directed to the Council rather than to City Administration or the audience. Anyone who wishes to address the Council is required to sign up to speak within thirty minutes before or within fifteen minutes of the start of the meeting. There are two Public Comment portions of the Agenda. For Items On the Agenda, speakers can sign up to address Postponed, Regular Business, Consent Agenda, or Study items or any other item on the Agenda. Speakers can sign up to address all other topics under Items Not on the Agenda.  Also, there is a timer on the City Council table in front of the Mayor that turns yellow when there is one minute of speaker time remaining, and turns red when the speaker's time is up.  

"In order to make the meeting more orderly and out of respect, please do not clap during the meeting, and please do not use expletives or make derogatory or disparaging comments about any one person or group. If you do so, then there may be immediate consequences, including having the microphone turned off, being asked to leave the meeting, and/or the deletion of speaker comments for any re-broadcast of the meeting.  Speakers should also be careful to avoid saying anything that would subject them to civil liability, such as slander and defamation. 

"Please avoid these consequences and voluntarily assist us in maintaining the decorum befitting this great City."

For questions about the changes, please contact the City Clerk's Office at 248-524-3316.