Public comments, formerly known as public participation, will again appear on Sulphur City Council regular meeting agendas.
Sulphur City Council members met in a special-called meeting Monday night to address the issue. The agenda item that has appeared on council meeting agendas for many, many years was omitted from the September council agenda.
Council members were not notified of the decision to omit Public Participation and felt the decision was trying to silence the citizens from addressing the council with various issues and/or concerns. Sulphur Mayor Darrell Cole said in his opinion, “we need to have public participation because people need a voice.”
Council members approved new Council Policies and Procedures as well as a sample agenda outline In the new policies adopted by the members, all aspects of council meetings as well the Mayor’s role, agenda preparation, order of business, rules of discussion and more were outlined.
The new rules for “PUBLIC COMMENTS” will be as follows: a) A portion of each regular meeting, at the Mayor’s discretion may be set aside for public comments, however citizens must fill out a request form available from the City Clerk at the Sulphur City Hall before close of day on Thursday prior to the Monday night meeting. b) Forms must contain name, signature, address, phone number and subject of discussion. Any form not completed will be rejected. c)All speakers will speak from the podium when called upon and direct comments to Mayor only. d) Citizens are encouraged to submits comments in writing to be included in public record.
e) The public is prohibited from using any AV equipment during meetings. f) Speakers are prohibited from presenting same or similar comments or arguments repeatedly. g) Time limit for each speaker will be three minutes unless Mayor adjust time limits. h) Group wishing to address council must designate one speaker for the group. i) Only 30 minutes total will be allowed for public comments at each council meeting.
In previous agenda, pubic participation was near the beginning of the meetings but now “PUBLIC COMMENTS” will appear at the end of the council meetings.
The new Policy also stated that the city manager, city attorney and any council member can request items to be placed on the agenda, but must do so at least 10 days prior to the meeting time and no new agenda changes will be made after 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, prior to the Monday meeting.
Citizens wishing to speak on actual agenda items, must sign up at the meeting on Monday prior to the start of the meeting at 6:00 p.m.
All five members were present at the meeting and unanimously approved the new policy and procedures and allowing for public comments on the agenda.
In the Sulphur Municipal Authority special meeting, City Manager Andy Freeman requested members table two items. One item was payment of $321,874.25 to CD Brown Construction for Invoice No. 1 for the Irrigation Water Main Project and the second item was payment of $68,805.50 to Myers Engineering for engineering services on the Chickasaw Nation/OWRB Water Project-wells, pump station and lines. No reason was given for tabling the items.
Members approved a quote of $5,023.08 for rear brake assembly for a sanitation dumpster truck and a quote from Kerr Pump in the amount of $8,208.52 to replace the pump on the 2004 Ford sewer truck.
In final agenda action, the board approved allowing Freeman to pay from 0-$10,000 for test well drilling and authorized payment of up to $25,000.00 per acre for land if water is found in the test well drilling.
The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
