Prairie Village has opted, for now, against changing the process for taking public comments at city council meetings, following several lengthy and often-contentious comment sessions at recent meetings focused on proposed affordable housing recommendations.
The upshot: City staff confirmed for the Post that the item discussed by the council Monday night regarding proposed changes to the public comment process was related to the onslaught of comments related to the ongoing housing controversy, many of which have come during meetings in which the housing recommendations were not on the council’s agenda.
- The proposal before the council Monday laid out an alternative structure to public comments, though it did not take away the public comment period.
- City Administrator Wes Jordan told the Post that packed council chambers at recent meetings have posed challenges when planning for the city council’s regular agenda items.
Why it matters: Still, the council committee of the whole on Monday overwhelmingly agreed that, given the controversy over the current housing discussion, now would not be the time to alter the rules around giving public comments.
What they’re saying: Councilmember Bonnie Limbird said she would not support changes to the public comment period at this time because of the ongoing concerns residents have voiced with the housing recommendations.
- Limbird said she might be open to changing public comment at future, potentially less controversial date.
- Others, like Councilmembers Piper Reimer and Dave Robinson echoed Limbird’s concern, noting that they feel residents have the right to speak to the city council.
Key quote: “I don’t think our intent in changing is to impact their right, but I think it could be perceived that way,” Reimer said. “I also think that the residents — the continuity they have when they’re here, the momentum that they have, I mean, I think they are entitled to that. At least until we settle this issue, this topic, I would not be comfortable with changing our policy.”
The details: The discussion item Monday contemplated instituting a set a one-hour limit on the public comment period to come, as it does currently, on the city council’s agenda before a majority of city business.
- If, after an hour, more speakers wanted to address the city council, then an additional public comment period would be added following other city business, according to the proposal.
- The goals of the plan included allowing all who want to speak the opportunity to do so and to complete city business in a “timely manner,” according to city documents.
- Jordan told the council committee of the whole Monday that the item is about balancing the rights of public commenters and the need to conduct city business efficiently.
ICYMI: Since July, Prairie Village residents have been attending city council meetings, sometimes in large crowds, specifically to speak during public comment period about the proposed housing recommendations.
- Though many of the largest crowds have appeared to be in opposition to the recommendations, public comments have come both for and against the housing proposals.
- The housing recommendations in questions were approved by the city council in June and amended in October following months’ worth of resident upheaval.
- The city has taken no final action on the recommendations and, in fact, has laid out a process to continue to gather public input that could take the issue well into next year.
Go deeper on Prairie Village housing recommendations
Read more about this issue in the Post’s latest coverage here.
