Aldermen Consider Sweeping New Laws for Citizen Comment

If you are interested in free speech and first amendment rights in Evanston you may want to follow the discussion surrounding the proposal to rewrite and codify the rules for citizen comment at all city council, board and committee meetings.  The Rules Committee of the City Council met 9/7/2011 to discuss a comprehensive new ordinance codifying what have historically been rules maintained by the council.  They sent the proposed ordinance back for revision.
 
(Click the 'Read more' selection below to link to the meeting video and to the old rules and the new ordinance.)

 
The published agenda listed the item for discussion as:
"DISCUSSION ON RESPONSES TO PUBLIC COMMENT" 
However, much of the proposed ordinance governs citizen behavior and only the proposed section 12 governs the aldermen's response to citizen comment.
 
The packet for the 9/7 Rules Committee meeting contained: Ordinance 71-O-11 An Ordinance Enacting a New Section 1-5-11 of the City Code to Provide Reasonable Guidelines Regarding Citizen Comment and Participation at City of Evanston Council and Committee Meetings
 
Proposed Ordinance 71-O-11  can be read here on pages 22-30
 
The current city Rules of the City Council guiding citizen participation are here on page 7.
 
The video of the 9/7 meeting is a here and the time points (Min.:Sec.) for each speaker are below:
 
30:50 Grant Farrar - City Attorney
33:24 Jane Grover - 7th Ward
38:30 Don Wilson - 4th Ward
40:30 Delores Holmes - 5th Ward
41:30 Coleen Burris - 9th Ward
42:40 Wally Bobkiewicz - City Manager
44:45 Melissa Wynne - 3rd Ward
45:56 Mark Tendam - 6th Ward
46:35 End
 
In later related events, citizens Dr. Padma Rao and her mother B. K. Rao spoke before the September 12, 2011 City Council meeting adressing issues concerning citizen comment and council repsonse.  Video of their comments can be seen here from 24:00 to 30:55.