By Jim Bloch
Nonresidents have officially been relegated to second class status in the city of Port Huron when it comes to making public comments at the meetings of the city council.
At least that’s the opinion of residents who opposed the new revisions to the “citizen participation” rules in the city charter.
The most dramatic change involved allowing residents and business owners to speak early in the meetings and allowing nonresidents to speak only toward the end of the meetings.
The city council voted 4-3 at its regular meeting Dec. 8 to adopt the changes. Mayor Pro Tem Sherry Archibald and council members Teri Lamb, Bob Mosurak and Jeff Pemberton voted for the new rules. Mayor Anita Ashford and council members Barb Payton and Conrad Haremza voted opposed the changes.
Twelve of the 15 public speakers at the meeting addressed the issue; 11 opposed it.
“What you’re going to do tonight is chase people away,” said resident and former council member Ken Harris. “What the he** is going on? It’s not what we’re looking for.”
Harris noted that local township residents pay the city for water and sewer services, yet they’ll be relegated to a separate public comment session at the end of meetings.
“What we’re trying to do is make them a different type of people than we have here in Port Huron,” said Harris.
A lifelong resident opposed separating people into residents and nonresidents. “It’s ridiculous,” he said. “The fact that this has even come up is shameful.”
“You’re segregating us,” said another.
“We hired you to listen to us,” said one woman. “You want your jobs to be as easy as they can be and not listen to us. This city affects more than just Port Huron. Everybody affected by Port Huron should be able to speak as one.”
“You have lost people’s trust by the way you vote, the way you’re behaving, and the things you bring to motion,” said Trash the Clown, wearing her “Nonresident Clown” t-shirt.
“I don’t know how much more clear the people can make it,” said council member Payton. “Their point is that they don’t want this to move forward, and we were elected by them. It doesn’t matter what we want. It’s what the people want. I don’t know what more they can say so that they can be represented properly. I’m really disappointed in my fellow council members who want to push this through without listening to the people, who do not want this.”
Council member Lamb asked City Attorney Todd Shoudy if the changes violated any laws or civil rights.
“I believe these rules do comply with the Open Meetings Act and the United States Constitution,” said Shoudy.
Mayor Ashford called the proposed changes “a selfish move” and “stupid.”
“I truly believe this is the best way to help our residents,” said council member Pemberton. “This minor rule change will put the voice of our residents literally in the front of the meeting because they are the priority to me.”
Pemberton said Payton’s accusation that the council was ignoring the voice of the people was a mischaracterization and ignored all the emails he and other members received in favor of the changes.
“It’s not perfect,” said Mayor Pro Tem Archibald of the resolution. “But it’s a starting point.”
In addition to splitting public comments into resident and nonresident segments, the new rules mandate that speakers sign up to speak.
“All members of the public who wish to address the Council at a meeting shall be allowed to speak only if they have signed up to speak before the meeting’s start time,” according to the new rules. “A signup sheet will be available beginning 30 minutes prior to the meeting start time. Signing up to speak requires each speaker to provide his or her name and identifying whether they are a resident or business owner in the City of Port Huron.”
One resident objected to the signup requirement to speak, arguing it limited impromptu speech.
“You should encourage people to speak,” he said.
The new rules will try to rein in speech that proponents consider lack decorum.
“Persons addressing the City Council shall speak from the podium, respect the decorum of a business meeting, direct their comments to the Mayor and City Council, and follow the rulings of the chair,” according to the new rules. “During the period for public comment, persons are encouraged to voice their views on matters within the City jurisdiction … and shall refrain from making personal, disrespectful, ad hominem attacks unrelated to matters of public concern, slanderous remarks or profane remarks. Personal debates within the audience or with individual members of the Council during the meeting are not permitted. To preserve the order and decorum of Council meetings, the audience shall refrain from excessive cheering and applauding during the course of the meeting when called to order by the chair. No audience member may speak at the meeting outside of the public hearings or public comment periods unless first recognized by the Chair and given permission to speak. For purpose of this rule, ‘profane remarks’ is defined as explicit or offensive reference to sex or bodily functions.”
In the introduction to the resolution laying out the new rules, the city justified the changes insofar as they would allow for “an orderly meeting,” maintain “decorum,” and permit the council’s business to be conducted in a “time efficient manner.” By clamping down
on vulgarities, the city hoped to “encourage minors to participate (in) or watch public meetings.”
One resident noted that no time would be saved by instituting two comment periods, assuming the same number of people wanted to speak.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
