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Reining in the speakers

Election season can be a hassle. Event schedules to juggle, moola to raise, and – oh, those pesky opponents gumming up the City Council speakers from the floor section.

This twice-monthly public comment person at council meetings has always been an attractive spot for folks with a message. You get the (mostly) undivided attention of council members and city staff.

Plus all viewers of Government Cable Access Channel. 13 and the folks in the City Council chambers.

Sometimes the spot is so popular, the mayor lets the 30-minute speaking slot stretch an hour or two.

“They get all this press. It really isn’t fair. They are showing them on Channel 13. I don’t really think it is right for them to come here and take that time,” Councilwoman Goldie Wells said Wednesday, when a spontaneous discussion about the speakers from the floor came up during a council briefing.

In recent weeks the candidate free-for-all that has sometimes gotten a bit heated, council members said, with exchanges between opponents and sitting members.

The council considered cutting off the speakers at the 30-minute mark, to keep meetings more orderly and concise, since there is no legal or easy way to block any particular person from the public forum.

Meanwhile Mayor Yvonne Johnson vowed to cut off the confrontational behavior – and she asked council members to do their part by not talking back.

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Tags: speakers from the floor

Posted by Amanda Lehmert on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 9:46 pm

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gsostudent

September 10, 2009 - 12:22 am EDT

Maybe candidates wouldn't have to come to City Council to air their views (which admittedly are usually very boring and more of the same old same old) if they were given more opportunity to be in the public eye. Shouldn't interviews or something be aired for free on Channel 13 to educate voters about their options instead of giving automatic favoritism to the incumbents by denying public access to challengers?

And if City Council can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen. These are serious issues our City has to deal with and if you can't handle people criticizing your decisions then you shouldn't be in the public eye or holding power. And if you don't want confrontation or bad blood coming from the speakers on the floor, then Mayor Johnson (and others) I would hope you'd confront it better when it came off the bench you sit at (I am clearly referring primarily to Mike Barber). Go ahead, roll your eyes- people don't care because he isn't running again. But that doesn't mean he should get to say crazy lies just because nobody cares to hold him accountable.

If City Council won't hold themselves accountable for their behavior and decisions, the people will!

Amanda Lehmert

September 10, 2009 - 11:14 am EDT

The government access channel specifically bans anything that comes across as promoting a particular canddiate during election seasons. Incumbents obviously get the advantage because they have a platform at regular meetings.

Other candidates can get on the city's other public access station, Channel 8. They are doing a series of half-hour open interviews with candidates. Check them out if your candidate wants to participate, http://www.onlinegreensboro.com/~gctv/

gsostudent

September 10, 2009 - 1:28 pm EDT

I don't know if you're directing that last comment at me, but I don't have a candidate.

marauder

September 11, 2009 - 2:39 pm EDT

Well, what was the camera crew suppose to do? Black out their (candidates) faces while they speak? Hell, if that's the case. Block out TDBS and GW's face! Afterall, regardless that they're candidates for the city council, and they have a concern to bring forth, why shouldn't they utilize the moment?

Touchy, touchy, people.