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Longview City Council meetings that run late into the evening—lasting 3 or 4+ hours—may soon be a thing of the past. Last night, the council voted to update its public comment policy following recommendations from the public during their recent council summit.
The new comment policy, which passed unanimously, will now allow for just three designated periods of public comment during regular meetings.
The first comment period will be for open constituent comments. This will function pretty much as it has in the past, with three minutes per speaker for non-agenda items and a total time limit of 30 minutes. However, the council may choose to extend the time, as they often do. Online comments will not be allowed, except as a disability accommodation.
Comment will also be allowed during public hearings, as required by law. However, individuals must pre-register for in-person comment, and those wishing to participate online must register at least 24 hours in advance. Each speaker will be given three minutes.
The final comment period will be reserved for agenda items only. This portion will also be limited to 30 minutes and will apply strictly to comments on items listed on the agenda.
Longview City Attorney Charlotte Archer gave a presentation explaining what the council is legally required to offer in terms of public comment. She noted that the new policy goes far beyond what is required. Only one period of public comment is actually mandated by law, and those comments are not required to be taken orally—they may just be submitted in writing.
Archer said the changes are intended to improve the flow of meetings, explaining that business meetings are meant for conducting city business, rather than ongoing back-and-forth with the public. She added that such exchanges can put city staff on the spot, often preventing them from giving complete or accurate responses.
The new policy does not require a public comment period during special meetings; however, the current council stated that they still intend to regularly allow public comment during those sessions.
This new policy will be reviewed annually, allowing the council to make adjustments as needed.
