Library board could book public comment
August 12, 2012 Sunshine Act
By James McGinnis, Bucks County Courier Times Staff writer
Silence is to be expected among the book stacks of libraries.
But should speaking also be restricted during public meetings of the Bucks County Free Library board?
The board is considering new guidelines on public comment during meetings.
Among the provisions: Residents could be asked to provide advance notice of any plans to speak at a meeting if the topic of discussion isn’t on the board’s agenda.
Other proposals would reduce the number of repetitive comments allowed and pinpoint exactly when people would be allowed to speak at meetings.
“Nothing has been formalized,” said Martina Kominiarek, executive director of the library system. “The library board does want to hear from residents.”
But too often, those residents are hitting the board with simple questions that could be answered by any librarian on staff, said Kominiarek.
“People will ask the board ‘When is that tree going to be cut down?’ or they’ll say ‘I can’t figure out how to download ebooks.’ All of this could be handled by staff,” Kominiarek added.
Library board President Gerald L. Balchis stressed that he isn’t trying to silence anyone. He just wants to bring order to meetings, he said.
“It’s about a large number of people making repetitive comments and discussing things that are not on our agenda,” he said.
Still, the public comment proposal worries some, particularly officials in Langhorne.
Borough Manager Rosemarie Curran and other Langhorne residents attended a July meeting to complain about cutbacks in the hours of their local branch. Curran said she suspects the library board is sick of hearing them complain.
“They said they were considering this policy where I’d have to get advanced permission to speak,” said Curran. “I asked to see the policy and was told it wasn’t available for the public to review.”
Tom Clements was at his local library in Bensalem on Wednesday to use the computers.
The frustration of library board members is understandable, he said, but they should “make any decisions after the public has had a chance to speak. I really think it’s critical that the public be able to have their say at meetings.”
Annie Schu of Bensalem disagreed somewhat and said she’d support some restrictions on public comment.
“I think I would vote for some of the more practical things, with people repeating themselves or talking about items that aren’t really relevant to the agenda,” she said.
Any proposed guidelines for public comment will be discussed openly at future board meetings and residents will have an opportunity to review and comment on them, said Balchis.
The right to open meetings with public comment is protected under state law. However, policies vary on how and the comments are made.
Guidelines to regulate public comment are cropping up all over the state, said Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
“Sometimes, these policies arise to answer concerns that are legitimate, but it also certainly has the potential to create problems and become a barrier to access,” she added.
“The law says that agencies can reserve public comment for the beginning of the meeting,” Melewsky continued. “One thing that they cannot do is reserve public comment to the end of the meeting.”
The Bucks County Commissioners invite public comment at the beginning and end of most public meetings. And some communities allow public comment at any time.
In Bensalem, the school board asks residents to fill out a public comment card before the start of a meeting. Those who do are invited to speak at the podium during the meeting.
Silence is to be expected among the book stacks of libraries.
But should speaking also be restricted during public meetings of the Bucks County Free Library board?
The board is considering new guidelines on public comment during meetings.
Among the provisions: Residents could be asked to provide advance notice of any plans to speak at a meeting if the topic of discussion isn’t on the board’s agenda.
Other proposals would reduce the number of repetitive comments allowed and pinpoint exactly when people would be allowed to speak at meetings.
“Nothing has been formalized,” said Martina Kominiarek, executive director of the library system. “The library board does want to hear from residents.”
But too often, those residents are hitting the board with simple questions that could be answered by any librarian on staff, said Kominiarek.
“People will ask the board ‘When is that tree going to be cut down?’ or they’ll say ‘I can’t figure out how to download ebooks.’ All of this could be handled by staff,” Kominiarek added.
Library board President Gerald L. Balchis stressed that he isn’t trying to silence anyone. He just wants to bring order to meetings, he said.
“It’s about a large number of people making repetitive comments and discussing things that are not on our agenda,” he said.
Still, the public comment proposal worries some, particularly officials in Langhorne.
Borough Manager Rosemarie Curran and other Langhorne residents attended a July meeting to complain about cutbacks in the hours of their local branch. Curran said she suspects the library board is sick of hearing them complain.
“They said they were considering this policy where I’d have to get advanced permission to speak,” said Curran. “I asked to see the policy and was told it wasn’t available for the public to review.”
Tom Clements was at his local library in Bensalem on Wednesday to use the computers.
The frustration of library board members is understandable, he said, but they should “make any decisions after the public has had a chance to speak. I really think it’s critical that the public be able to have their say at meetings.”
Annie Schu of Bensalem disagreed somewhat and said she’d support some restrictions on public comment.
“I think I would vote for some of the more practical things, with people repeating themselves or talking about items that aren’t really relevant to the agenda,” she said.
Any proposed guidelines for public comment will be discussed openly at future board meetings and residents will have an opportunity to review and comment on them, said Balchis.
The right to open meetings with public comment is protected under state law. However, policies vary on how and the comments are made.
Guidelines to regulate public comment are cropping up all over the state, said Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
“Sometimes, these policies arise to answer concerns that are legitimate, but it also certainly has the potential to create problems and become a barrier to access,” she added.
“The law says that agencies can reserve public comment for the beginning of the meeting,” Melewsky continued. “One thing that they cannot do is reserve public comment to the end of the meeting.”
The Bucks County Commissioners invite public comment at the beginning and end of most public meetings. And some communities allow public comment at any time.
In Bensalem, the school board asks residents to fill out a public comment card before the start of a meeting. Those who do are invited to speak at the podium during the meeting.
