CYPRESS : Council Shifts Time for Some Public Comment

Public comment on issues not on the agenda will be heard at the end of City Council meetings, rather than at the beginning, the council voted this week.

Residents who have city service problems or who are unhappy with some aspect of city government frequently use the general comment period to air their grievances, often adding two or more hours to the length of council meetings and pushing adjournment past midnight.

By unanimous vote, the council passed a resolution to put “oral communications for matters not on the 7:30 p.m. agenda” at the end of meetings.

When council members announced earlier that the meeting procedure might change, some in the audience objected. “It’s another attempt to silence our freedom of speech,” resident Bob Pepper said.

But council members responded that residents still have the same opportunity to speak on matters not listed on the agenda. The change, they said, simply allows agenda items to be expedited.

Public comment on issues listed on the agenda still will be heard at the beginning of council sessions.