KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Kalamazoo Public Schools board will vote on a possible change to public comment policy.
If passed, public commentary time by citizens to the board would be limited to a half hour in total during the start of each meeting. Each speaker would still be granted three minutes to speak.
The time for citizen comment after the meeting would be extended for those who did not have a chance to speak at the beginning of each meeting, provided they signed up to do so.
Previously, the board had considered only allowing citizens who signed up before the meeting to speak, but opted out in favor of allowing an extended period at the end of each meeting.
Under the Open Meetings Act, the board is unable to implement a policy that would not allow citizens time to speak.
Regardless, each citizen would still have to sign up at the start of a meeting in order to speak to the board.
Despite the changes, the board would still retain the right to cut any citizen off from speaking if they use vulgar or profane language, but only if the language itself is disruptive to the meeting. The board would issue a warning prior to ending a citizens’ time to speak.
The board is expected to vote on the matter during a meeting this Thursday December 19th.
