La Salle council moves public comment, residents react to new rule

Moving forward, residents with questions or concerns at La Salle City Council meetings will address aldermen at the beginning of the session.

The City Council approved an ordinance Monday moving public comment to the start of its meetings.

Previously, if a resident wanted to speak about an agenda item prior to the council’s vote, they would ask permission to speak during that item, said Deputy Clerk Brent Bader. An open public comment also was conducted prior to adjournment.

Residents in attendance disagreed with the change saying they don’t receive the agenda with enough notice to speak about items at the beginning of the meeting. The city is required to post agendas 48 hours prior to a public meeting, according to the Open Meetings Act.

“This is ludicrous,” said Marty Schneider, a La Salle resident. “What you’re doing is you’re trying to make it so we can’t talk for another two weeks about what you guys are talking about. And that’s not the way it should be. You guys work for us.”

La Salle resident Jamie Hicks asked why the change was needed and said the new rules made no sense.

“This is totally absurd,” Hicks said. “You’re going to be voting on things and we don’t even get to comment. That makes no sense.”

Hicks said Mayor Jeff Grove was using he new practice to “get order.”

“He thinks he can better control the room by having comments in the beginning because we can’t talk about anything that they are talking about today or voting on Which is unfair to every citizen in this town,” he said.

Grove said the new rules allow residents to get their questions and concerns about agenda items ahead of time.

The motion passed 6-2, with Alderman Bob Thompson and Jordan Crane voting against the change.

La Salle approved an ordinance in May restricting public comment to 5 minutes per speaker and limiting public comment 45 minutes total. The new ordinance also legislated speakers to refrain from making vulgar, insulting or inappropriate remarks toward or about any member of the public body, any employee or officer of the city or any member of the audience. Any person who poses a threat to public safety will removed from the meeting, the ordinance said.

Thompson said he took issue with that ordinance when it passed and stood with his prior vote against the new rules. Specifically, he said he doesn’t want to limit anyone’s free speech.

“In my opinion, they should be able to speak their minds, some people swear,” Thompson said. “It’s just they way it is and to hold someone accountable because they said ‘god-dang’… I just don’t think it’s right.”

Crane said he understands why the topic was brought up, but believed public comment was best served at the end of the meeting when the “topics are fresh.”

“This gives the audience a chance to talk to us, to comment before we vote,” Crane said. “I do understand that. But, personally, I like it at the end. It addresses things a little bit better.”

In comparison, Peru and Spring Valley councils allow for comments at the beginning and end of their meetings, while Ottawa and Streator councils allow comment only at the beginning.