KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Kalamazoo city commissioners will consider changing their rules this week to allow call-in comments during regular meetings in the future.
They have been talking about it for a while.
The call-ins were first permitted by the state of Michigan as a health precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow safe public participation in meetings and Commissioners ended the practice when the danger passed.
The Portage city council and the Kalamazoo County board have continued to take calls, although citizens rarely take advantage of the opportunity.
Some citizens have also requested the return of the practice by the city of Kalamazoo, but the problem has been the details.
Mayor Dave Anderson proposed a compromise at their last meeting, that speaking time be reduced from four-minutes back to the original three-minutes and call in comments only be permitted at the first public comment session.’
“A person could call in and provide comments during that time, rather than up down up down up down on every single individual item.”
Commississioners including Vice Mayor Drew Duncan liked the proposal.
“This is about what can we do that enacts fairness, allows people to participate, and moves the meeting along.”
Commissioner Jae Slaby agreed.
“We already know that these meetings get lengthy, we have a lot of business that we have to get to and I think that it’s for everybody’s sake to balance that.”
The city commission had bad experiences with call-in public comments at first from pranksters, and the technology can be tricky because there are often delays between online casts and real time.
Public comments can already stretch beyond an hour or more at most city of Kalamazoo meetings.
Commissioners asked the city attorney to provide them with a proposed rule change that they will vote on at Tuesday’s meeting.
They have also asked the city manager to report on how long it may take to implement the change.
Comments