Long Beach City Council changes its policy on public comment

After much discussion and comments from a dozen members of the public–the largest number of audience members to comment on any item on last night’s city council agenda–Long Beach City Council voted 5-3 last night to change, and very likely restrict, the public’s ability to open up debate on consent calendar items.

The council’s consent calendar often–but not always–includes routine items designed to be voted on in one motion. That’s what makes council meetings interesting–that and the fact that any member of the public can address the council, provided they fill out a little card.

Through last night’s meeting, members of the public had some of the same rights afforded any council member: they could ask that an item be pulled off the consent calendar. This forced the council–and allowed members of the public–to consider and debate the pulled items separately.

As various news outlets report this morning–the Press-Telegram, LBPost.com, LBReport.com–the rules are different now.

After voting on the change, which was proposed by Mayor Bob Foster, the new rules require any member of the public who wants to have a consent calendar item pulled and considered separately to ask his or her council member to have it pulled.

Members of the public can still discuss and debate consent calendar items now–but only for a city-specified three minutes.

And what happens if you ask your council member to pull off an item which he or she approved, and doesn’t want to pull off the agenda?

Mayor Foster and Third District Councilman Gary DeLong assured members of the audience that would never happen–but what about 10, 20 years from now when they’re no longer on the council?

After a substitute motion to send the item to committee–where it could have died–failed, the vote was 5-3 to approve.

Voting in favor were DeLong, Second District Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal, Fourth District Councilman Patrick O’Donnell, Sixth District Councilman Dee Andrews, and Ninth District Councilman Val Lerch.

Voting against were Second District Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, and Seventh District Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga.

Eighth District Councilwoman Rae Gabelich was absent.

Tags: bob foster, bonnie lowenthal, California, Consent calendar, Dee Andrews, gary delong, Gerrie Schipske, LBPost.com, lbreport.com, Long Beach, Long Beach City Council, patrick o'donnell, press telegram, public debate, rae gabelich, Southern California, suja lowenthal, The District Weekly, Theo Douglas, Tonia Reyes Uranga, val lerch