Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/public-comment/)
Santa Ana City Attorney Sonia Carvalho adjourned Tuesday’s city council meeting in the middle of public comment while people were still waiting — some for four hours — to address a half-empty dais.
The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) board of directors changed its public comment procedures without public notice or a vote by the entire board, which County Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who sits on the board, and others said could be a violation of California open meeting laws.
In her first meeting as the chairwoman of supervisors, Michelle Steel limited speakers to just one minute during the public comment period. This was the latest in a series of moves supervisors have made in recent years to curtail speakers at the board’s public meetings.
While the citizens of Orange County were casting ballots on Election Day, the county’s elected Board of Supervisors voted to restrict how often and how long people can speak at public meetings.
The ordinance, under consideration by Costa Mesa City Council, would ban “unduly repetitive” public comments. Councilwomen Wendy Leece and Sandy Genis call it an attempt to restrict Mayor Jim Righeimer’s critics.
Speakers are now limited to nine minutes total at Board of Supervisors meetings.
Comments will be accepted through July 17.
Some residents say the move is an effort to stifle criticism of the controversial City Council.
The Orange County Supervisors, like the OCTA before, is
violating the Brown Act when it comes to public comment.
Speaker cards will inform members of the public of their right
to remain anonymous when speaking at board meetings. Open
government expert says the agency is not going far enough.