City Council Expands Speaking Time For Themselves; Expands Public Speaking Slots

When the new members of City Council are seated this month, they will have more time to speak.

On Thursday Nov. 10, Ann Arbor City Council debated and voted 7-3 to pass DC-2, which amends Council’s speakers rules. The resolution extended from two to three minutes the time limit for each council member to speak during the Communications from Council part of the meeting. The amendment also cut the second Communications from Council speaking time from the end of meetings.

Council member Jeff Hayner, D-Ward 1, called the change an “insult to the outgoing members whose speaking time was reduced in the past year.”

“What makes it egregiously offensive to me is that this body would consider changing the speaking rules on the eve of an entirely new body of members being sworn in,” Hayner said. “It is bad enough that you gave yourself back the time you took from us all. Now you are taking away even more.”

Councilmember Travis Radina, D-Ward 3, spoke in favor of eliminating the speaking opportunity for Council members. Radina said the change would end “chaos and displeasure” at the end of the meetings.

“Oftentimes (the end of the meeting) was not used to correct a date that was given wrong during a meeting but rather as an opportunity to rehash debates that were already had at this table and lob personal insults at late hours at one another,” Radina said. “We’ve seen folks storming out of here with rude hand gestures and curse words on their breath, and that is not productive.”

The amendment increased public speaking slots from 10 to 15. These are opportunities for the public to make comments at the beginning of Council meetings. The resolution did not alter how speakers reserve slots. Members of the public have to reserve a speaking spot between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the day of the Council meeting. Reservations with relevance to the Council agenda and whether the speaker has given commentary at a past meeting.

During the discussion of the change to Council’s rules, Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said the change would “expand access to public comment opportunities for community members.”