New changes to the Cape Coral City Council meeting agenda have been met with a backlash by citizens.
The council recently moved citizen input time from the beginning of meetings, before members vote on agenda items, to the end of meetings, once all votes have been completed.
There is also public hearing time built into resolutions, giving citizens a chance to give specific feedback after hearing a resolution, and before council members vote.
This change is meant to make it easier for full-time workers who deal with heavy traffic to give input at the later time. Meetings start at 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.
At the beginning of the meeting, council member Rachel Kaduk attempted to insert time for agenda-specific comments before the agenda, while maintaining time for additional public comments at the end of meetings.
“I would just like the public to be able to speak on anything that is on the consent agenda and if they would like to add in anything regarding public input,” Kaduk said. “At this point in time, we won’t hear from them until the end after we have our discussion.”
Mayor John Gunter opposed this idea, citing that by pushing comments to the end of meetings, attendees will be able to hear all of the agenda items and learn more information about each resolution.
“My main goal is to make sure that we are streamlining the process, that we have one citizen’s input no matter where it is,” Gunter said.
Kaduk’s motion to add another public comment time failed 5-3.
After recognitions and business resolutions, the council discussed a solution again. Council member Bill Steinke stressed the need for expedient meetings.
“If this is going to be a precedent of how things go forward, I think it’s not a good deal that we continually bring back something that the decision has already been made,” Steinke said.
Council member Jennifer Nelson-Lastra agreed with Kaduk, motioning to insert 30 minutes of agenda-specific comments before the consent agenda while keeping 60 minutes of public comments at the end of meetings. Her motion also failed by a 5-3 vote.
Citizens input started at 7 p.m., three hours after the meeting began. Citizens were called up one by one based on comment cards filled out upon entering the council chambers. Cards included their names and contact information so council members can follow up.
Resident Louis Navarra had strong feelings about the agenda change.
“I think this is cruel and unusual punishment to make us wait three hours to make our comments on things they’ve already voted on,” Navarra said.
Resident Derek Fraiser also criticized the long wait time.
“Citizen’s input should be at the beginning of the meeting so people like me that have had prostate cancer and need to use a restroom on a regular basis don’t have to wait three and a half hours to get up here and talk to y’all,” Fraiser said.
Other concerns centered around budget use for solid waste removal, Cape Coral’s new mobility plan, and millage rates.
During closing remarks, council member Nelson-Lastra said the city is actively tracking citizen attendance to determine if additional changes are needed.
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