The Board of Supervisors has struggled with open public comment periods. Over the past several years a tendency has developed for certain attendees to speak at every opportunity, whether they have something original to say or not. It is, of course, a right that people in the gallery have come to expect, especially as the increasingly contentious meetings have heated up starting at around the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. A weary and impatient tone has been heard at times from the board, and especially Chairman Kevin Crye, who has been trying to reduce the allowable time. For many years speakers have been allowed 3 minutes at the podium. Last year Crye cut it to two minutes, and it’s even been held to one minute during some meetings, including the first time the newly-formed board met this year in January. Crye has also ordered that when the time is up, the microphone is abruptly silenced. Some members of the public are crying foul after last week’s meeting. It started at 9AM and the open public comment time did not occur until 8:45PM that evening after a lengthy recess for closed session. The upcoming meeting next Tuesday will start with several regular agenda items, but this time the board will allow general comments prior to considering the closed session items.
-Steve Gibson