The Santa Rosa Neighborhood Coalition Steering Committee has sent a formal letter to Mayor Olivares, the City Council, and the City Manager requesting that the Public Comments portion of the City Council meetings once again be included in the televised meetings. Interim City Manager Wayne Goldberg decided last year (with the approval of the council) to stop televising the Public Comments portion of the meetings. This decision also impacts the video available on the City Council website.
All citizens of Santa Rosa deserve to hear and be heard during the open comment period of the City Council meeting. There are people who sit for hours in order to speak for three minutes, and denying the public the right to hear them is not what free speech is about.
Several years ago Santa Rosa began using 'action minutes' in its meetings and now, as a result, the meeting transcripts are totally inadequate. Goldberg's comment that people are entitled to free speech but not to be heard on television or the internet is a shame and embarrassment to Santa Rosa.
The new council can reverse this insult to free speech. We await their decision in the new year and are confident that they will make the correct one.
All citizens of Santa Rosa deserve to hear and be heard during the open comment period of the City Council meeting. There are people who sit for hours in order to speak for three minutes, and denying the public the right to hear them is not what free speech is about.
Several years ago Santa Rosa began using 'action minutes' in its meetings and now, as a result, the meeting transcripts are totally inadequate. Goldberg's comment that people are entitled to free speech but not to be heard on television or the internet is a shame and embarrassment to Santa Rosa.
The new council can reverse this insult to free speech. We await their decision in the new year and are confident that they will make the correct one.
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