PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County commissioners are re-examining the ways they meet the public — particularly during the public comment period of their meetings — as they enter 2011.
“We want to create a forum where the public can address us in a more civil venue,” said Commissioner John Austin, who took over Monday as board chairman from Commissioner David Sullivan.
“We want anyone to feel comfortable coming in here and making a statement.”
Currently, public comments are allowed for approximately 30 minutes at the beginning of each weekly meeting, with each speaker allowed to address the commissioners once for a three-minute period.
The commissioners have expressed the desire to improve the public comment period for several months, and is using the change of the chairmanship as an opportunity to do so.
“It would be nice to get people other than the usual suspects to participate in the public comment period,” said County Administrator Philip Morley.
“We can improve the interaction either individually or collectively.”
County commissioners are not required to offer a public comment period and do so at their own discretion — Sullivan mentioned at the beginning of every comment period when he was chairman.
It was also mentioned by Austin during his first turn as board chair on Monday.
The commissioners will not force an arbitrary change of the current process, and plan to solicit public comment as to how the public comment period should evolve.
Comments will be accepted at jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us or by calling 360-385-9100.
Any changes will also be vetted by Board Clerk Lorna Delaney and Civil Deputy Prosecutor David Alvarez.
One possibility would be to schedule an informal comment period for 10 minutes at the beginning of each meeting, where the commissioners would mingle with the public and address issues individually or collectively.
One drawback to this format would be the difficulty of keeping a record of such informal comments, according to Sullivan.
The informal comment period would be included in addition to more structured periods that could be divided to include comments about items included or not included on the agenda under discussion.
The comment period has been dominated by the same half-dozen people over the past several months and the change is meant to expand that amount, according to the commissioners.
Regular participants are accustomed to speaking in public, which is not true of many citizens.
“I speak in public for a living,” Morley said.
“But one occasion I spoke as a private citizen in a public meeting was frightening to me, as this kind of situation can put a lot of pressure on a person.”
As chairman, Austin has not determined how — or if — his approach will differ from that of his predecessor.
“There will be natural differences in style,” he said.
“But the general conduct of the board is determined by the three commissioners.”
Austin, who was elected to a second term, has never served as chair of the board.
Sullivan served at the helm for two years, preceded by Commissioner Phil Johnson, who served four.
Even so, Austin doesn’t see the position as secure.
“If you guys don’t like what I am doing as chair, you can vote me out at any time,” he joked on Monday afternoon.
________
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
