City Commission Must Allow Public Comment on Every Agenda Item, As Mayor Nancy Shaver Endeavored to Provide in Procedural Rules, and As County Commission, St. Augustine Beach and Mosquito Control Commission Provide

By Steve Cottrell:
St. Augustine Record
Posted: July 11, 2015 - 11:29pm
Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick, published in Boston on Sept. 25, 1690, was the first newspaper in the Colonies. Publisher Benjamin Harris intended to print monthly, but when the Massachusetts colonial governor read unfiltered news and not government-issued propaganda, he immediately shut down the newspaper.
It would take ratification of the Bill of Rights in 1791 to ensure a free press.
With that history in mind, I am grateful that The Record is going to let this self-confessed curmudgeon comment a couple times a month about today’s public occurrences. I can only hope that Public Occurrences as an editorial column lasts longer than its 17th century namesake newspaper.
For starters, let’s take a look at how citizens are excluded from meaningful participation at meetings of the St. Augustine City Commission.
Each city agenda includes the following line item: “Public Comments for General Public Comments or Agenda Items not requiring a Separate Public Hearing (three minutes per individual).”
Under the commission’s current policy, citizens are asked to fill out cards requesting to be heard during the public comments portion of the meeting, typically near the beginning of the evening. The cards are delivered to the mayor by the city clerk, and citizens who submit cards are individually called upon by the mayor to approach the lectern for their three minutes of input.
Rarely is there a dialogue between citizens and commissioners. Instead, citizens are thanked for their comments and the next person in the stack of request cards is called upon.
State law requires that citizens be given an opportunity to speak at public meetings, but at City Commission meetings public input is often heard several hours before some items are actually discussed by the five commissioners.
Yes, the commission’s current policy satisfies the law, but does it represent good government? I don’t think so.
Here’s what I think ought to happen: As a hypothetical example, let’s say there’s an agenda item asking commissioners to authorize acquisition of a new fire truck.
When this hypothetical fire department item is introduced by the mayor, relevant city staff would address the commission explaining why it’s necessary to spend $300,000 for a new fire truck. Commissioners would then ask questions of the city manager, fire chief, finance director and perhaps other staff members.
Once staff completed its presentation and commissioners had an opportunity to ask questions of staff, the public would be invited to approach the lectern in whatever order the queue happened to form. Citizens could then voice support or opposition, or — heaven forbid! — actually ask staff and commissioners their own questions and receive answers. Discussion would then return to the commission table for deliberation and possible action.
Real citizen participation. Wow, what a concept!
Yes, it’s true that state law does not mandate such open, two-way dialogue, but it also doesn’t prohibit it. How and when citizens may address the commission is a policy decision left for commissioners to determine.
With the current public comments policy in place, I often wonder if commissioners even hear what citizens are saying? Or, for that matter, really care? For sure, they seldom pay much attention to the speakers.
If that’s the way they want to conduct the public’s business, commissioners can continue to pretend citizens are actively involved at meetings. Or they might consider — in addition to the required Public Comments agenda listing — the following statement at the top of each agenda: “Any member of the audience may address any item on the agenda immediately prior to commission deliberation.”
If you agree, let commissioners know. Remember, you are their boss. It’s your money they’re spending.
Cottrell may be contacted at cottrell.sf@gmail.com

Who is STEVEN LEE COTTRELL?