Speak Out Regarding Public Comments

The 2/3 is this graphic refers to a two thirds reduction in public comments time. It is NOT a date

Livable Raleigh is encouraging Raleigh residents to contact Council members before next Tuesday’s meeting.

Agenda item T – Report and Recommendation of the City Attorney includes a memo outlining options for making changes to Public Comment sessions. Read here: Memo  

This will be discussed at the February 4 Afternoon City Council Session where there is NO opportunity for public input. The only way you would be aware of this proposal is if you had watched the 1st day of the Council Retreat on January 24.

After much engagement with the community and consultation with the Community Engagement Board, City Council previously voted to allow more time for public comments.

However at last weekend’s Council Planning Retreat, some members expressed concerns about the amount of time devoted to public comment and asked staff for options to make changes.

Mayor Cowell suggested her concern was because the council is spending too much of its time together “as a body” on public comments. But, she made NO suggestion as to how she would redirect the time freed from listening to residents’ concerns into other work “as a body.” It seems the mayor simply objects to the time being spent at all.

The memo from the City Attorney outlines options for reducing public comment time, making schedule changes to public comments, and also revising the digital media process to eliminate use of digital media by speakers.

Discussion at the retreat focused on the possible “3 hour” length of the public comment session on the second Tuesday of the month. Metrics show the meetings have only gone longer than 1 1/2 hours on one occasion since the current policy was put in place. And that only ran for 1 3/4 hours.

But staff is recommending a possible reduction to only one hour. This would also reduce the amount of time for each speaker from 3 minutes likely down to 1 minute. This will hamper the ability of speakers to make meaningful statements. Public policy requires nuance and attention to details, and all of those things require time to express.

Council members repeatedly stress the idea that members of the public have many other ways to reach out to them. But, anyone familiar with sending an email to council is fully aware those emails are rarely if ever responded to or even acknowledged. And sending an email means the public will not have the opportunity to hear what you have to say to the council.

Some councilors tout their own individual community meetings as opportunities. But, these do not allow you to speak to the council as a whole and not all councilors conduct these meetings.

Some mention CACs as opportunities to reach out to the council. But, in the year since the council unanimously voted to re-establish formal recognition of CACs to their “unique and historic role,” they have done nothing to help reinvigorate the CACs in the majority of the communities across the city that were shut down when the city withdrew its support five years ago. And, not all council members attend the CAC meetings that are taking place.

Public Comments at City Council meetings are the one unique opportunity to address the full city council and have your concerns heard by the other residents in attendance and those watching the livestream in real time or the video at a later, more convenient time.

A council member dismissed this concern by saying: “I believe the intent of public comment is to raise issues to the City Council, not for the City Council to provide a broadcast platform.”

Ironically, because this item is on the agenda for the February 4 meeting, changes could be made without any public engagement.

If you have concerns about these proposed changes, please email councilors here: [email protected] or call Council members before their next meeting this Tuesday, February 4, and let them know how you feel.  Council Contact Info.

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