Public Comment

Transcript (~4 min @ 23:40)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 23:40 Jeff McNaught: have a few people in the room. I don't- If anyone's here for public comment,

▶ 23:44 Speaker 2: kindly raise your digital hand. Mr. McSweeney, can you hear us?

▶ 23:55 Speaker 4: yes can you hear me yes great thank you everyone for the opportunity finn mcsweeney 160 west wyoming avenue um i just speak briefly on 2022 34 rules to speak in favor of a couple of the amendments that councillor Grigoraitis uh proposed um the first is the elimination of the language which would only and these are on 29a sorry the first specifically is the elimination of the language which only allows residents or property owners to speak at public comment um i have a lot of problems with that language um i don't understand why someone who is an employee of a melrose business or patron of a melrose business or someone who comes here to participate in cultural events mr mcsweeney did we lose you can you hear me hello can you hear me

▶ 25:01 Jeff McNaught: we can hear you okay we lost you for about probably a solid minute there though sorry

▶ 25:06 Speaker 4: about that. So I'm speaking in favor of the amendment to Rule 29A, which Councillor Grigoraitis proposed. The first is the elimination of the language which would restrict public comment to residents or property owners. I have a problem with that language. I don't know why we would be restricting an employee of a Melrose business or a patron of a Melrose business or someone who comes here to participate in an arts event or cultural event or to access our open space. I don't know why we wouldn't allow those people to speak. To be clear, I don't think any members of this council would really prohibit those people from speaking, but future councils, I don't think we should have that language in the rules. I find it to be a little bit in poor taste, and I'm frankly not even sure what problem it would be targeting. So Councilor Grigoraitis just struck it and I really wanted to speak strongly in favor of that. The second one is the language around remote participation. I think it's awesome that there's a proposal to include that language in the council rules. I would in fact just remove the whatever practicable language. The city is installing a generator there feels like anytime the council can meet in person they can probably have internet access computer access um so i just want to speak in strong support of that as i can this council has really been the leaders in the city on facilitating remote access i'm proving that it can work and it can work well um you've set the bar really high and i want i just want to make sure that the rules enshrine that high bar and that future councils um are encouraged to live up to the standard you've all set um so thank you i appreciate the opportunity those are my comments

▶ 27:10 Speaker 5: happy holidays thank you same to you mr mcsweeney thank you is there anyone else here for public

▶ 27:24 Jeff McNaught: comment i'm seeing no hands being raised um at this time i'll move by unanimous consent

▶ 27:36 Jeff McNaught: um i'll move by unanimous consent to close public comment seeing no objection public comment is now