GIG HARBOR — The city of Gig Harbor will resume online public comments at its meetings if the council approves a new structure on Monday.
The council voted Dec. 11 to pause public comments made online during its meetings, as a precaution, due to a national trend of anonymous hate speech hijacking public meetings.
During public meetings anonymous users have been making virtual comments that include hate speech. It’s happened in some Pierce County cities, including Lakewood, Buckley and Tacoma.
“The hate speech occurring at public meetings is not happening in the comment section of Zoom, but rather out loud during the public comment portions of meetings,” Katrina Knutson, Gig Harbor’s city administrator, previously told the Gateway. “The speakers are anonymous, no picture, and use their three minutes to make horrible speeches that constitute hate speech.”
Knutson said, although this has not happened at any Gig Harbor public meetings, the council decided to take precautions and voted Dec. 11 to not allow virtual public comments until further notice.
The council discussed different options with City Attorney Daniel Kenny to address this issue at a study session Jan. 11.
Council members could request that anyone who wishes to make a comment first preregister for that meeting. Anyone who wishes to only attend the meeting virtually, but not speak, would not need to register.
They could also require commenters to have their cameras on, though some virtual attendees call in from phones or laptops that don’t have cameras.
Another option is to try and keep people making virtual comments about agenda items on topic. The chair (mayor) could cut anyone off who tries to divert the conversation.
Council could also restructure their meetings by moving the general public comment period to the end of the meeting to try and limit disturbances.
They could also keep what’s currently in place, by continuing to not allow virtual public comments.
Council member Roger Henderson initially said at the study session that he’d like to keep it as it is, and only allow in-person or written public comments.
Council member Mary Barber was in support of Henderson’s idea.
“I believe it’s working well,” she said. “I believe that we as a council, and we as a city are very accessible to the residents of the city and the residents of our community that want to talk to us.”
Council member Ben Coronado asked what a registration requirement would entail. He added that the city of Lynnwood tried to only limit public comment to agenda items, and they were still getting anonymous users using hate speech.
He emphasized that he did not want to take away the convenience of online commenting.
Kenny told the council a process for registration would need to be established by staff. That could be a web form to fill out, an email address to message, or a phone number to call to register, he said.
He said they could include verbiage to require commenters to make requests by 4 p.m. on council days when they’d like to speak. They’d leave their name and how they will be identified on Zoom during the meeting. City Clerk Josh Stecker could then work down that list and call on people during public comment, Kenny said.
Council member Jeni Woock brought an idea to the table that a majority of the council thought would be the best option.
Woock was in favor of mimicking a structure that the Pierce County Council uses. They allow all forms of public comment on agenda items, but they have the general public comment period at the end of the meeting.
The chair of the meeting can interrupt users who are not staying on topic while commenting about agenda items, but during general comment the chair cannot cut them off.
Each person would still be limited to three minutes to speak on agenda items or during the general public comment period.
Pierce County Council member Robyn Denson told the Gateway this structure is not new for the Pierce County Council.
“We always allow comments from people joining us via Zoom for agenda items and we have our public comment time for items not on the agenda at the end of the meeting,” she said.
According to the Pierce County Council agenda archives that go back to 2013, this structure was in place then.
Kenny and City Administrator Katrina Knustson said this is something staff have been internally discussing and thought it was a good idea because most children, families, or community organizations (such as Boy Scouts who perform the pledge of allegiance) usually leave before the meeting is over.
By moving the general public comment period to the end, if a disturbance happens, fewer people in the audience would have to listen to it.
Also, if the general public comment period becomes escalated, council could ask for a recess if needed.
Council member Le Rodenberg was in favor Woock’s suggestion.
Council member Brenda Lykins also liked the idea, but suggested putting a defined duration on the general public comment period. She suggested a comment period of 30 minutes.
Woock was concerned that might cut people off who potentially want to speak up. She requested that the rules and regulations state the council can motion to extend the general public comment period if they feel it’s needed.
City staff will bringing forward a council bill at the Monday, Jan. 22, City Council meeting to formalize this structure, Knutson said. If it’s approved by the council, virtual public comment will resume at the Feb. 12 meeting.
Mayor Tracie Markley told council at the special meeting that, if they feel this solution doesn’t work, they can always come back and revise the council guidelines again.
