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Overview:
In a 6-1 vote, councilors agreed to give first-time speakers priority over returning commenters during their twice-monthly, 90-minute public comment periods.
The Eugene City Council will begin prioritizing new voices over returning speakers at the body’s public comment periods.
Councilors voted 6-1 Wednesday to change their operating agreements to place newcomers to their twice-monthly public comment periods before those who spoke at the previous meeting instead of randomly shuffling the list of speakers.
In recent months, as many as 50 people have signed up to address councilors during the 90-minute public comment periods, scheduled near the end of the agenda. Each speaker is limited to two minutes.
Topics vary greatly; some subjects arise repeatedly—recently, the city’s license plate reader cameras or the Amazon facility coming to west Eugene— as people aligned with certain causes sign up for the meetings in groups.
“Hearing the same folks say the same thing over and over again is fine, but hearing the new points of view actually helps me as a councilor, and I think all of us,” Councilor Alan Zelenka said.
The change will require staffers to separate speakers into new and repeat lists, randomize them, and then merge the lists with new speakers on top.
“I think we actually need it so that we aren’t just locking up every public comment period and others (who) wish to express their opinion just give up,” Councilor Randy Groves said. “I’ve heard some of that already, so I’m going to be supporting this.”
Councilor Matt Keating was the lone ‘no’ vote. He said some speakers repeatedly sign up for public comment periods to emphasize that councilors have not taken “appropriate action” on an issue they care about.
“Just because we’ve heard from them multiple times does not mean their message is any less relevant or germane,” he said.
The council also considered a few other proposed changes to their operating agreements, including whether to allow people to speak virtually during public comment. Current council rules allow only in-person attendees to speak.
That motion failed 2-5, with Keating and Councilor Jennifer Yeh voting in favor, voicing concerns about limited access to testify at the meetings. Opposing councilors voiced concerns about virtual speakers creating potentially inappropriate interruptions, like a 2023 incident when a Zoom speaker’s hateful outburst disrupted a Eugene Human Rights Commission meeting.
Virtual speakers are allowed for public hearings, a separate type of council meeting, Council President Lyndsie Leech noted.
Councilors unanimously voted to maintain the current policy of placing representatives of city boards, commissions and neighborhood associations ahead of other speakers during public comment.