Longer Period for Comments Proposed

Following a meeting during which residents waited as long as five hours to make comments to county officials, Supervisor Steve Bennett has proposed procedural changes affording speakers quicker access to the podium.

Bennett wants to increase the time for public comments from 30 to 90 minutes during evening meetings, which are held about once every three months to increase public access. Regular meetings, which are held Tuesday mornings at the Hall of Administration in Ventura, would not be affected by the change.

At Tuesday’s night meeting in Thousand Oaks, about 45 people asked to address board members, with many noting they were grateful for the opportunity. They said their jobs kept them from attending the morning meetings on the west end of the county.

Bennett will discuss the issue with fellow board members at Tuesday’s meeting at 8:30 a.m. in Ventura.