GREENSBORO, NC -- Greensboro mayor Bill Knight wants to reduce city council's time for speakers from the floor from two televised meetings per month to one. He also wants speakers to sign up eight days in advance.
I think Mayor Knight is doing a good job and I understand his frustration with the grandstanding and the time wasting, but a total of an hour a month and easy access for all are small costs for accommodating robust civic participation and public comment of city government. The mayor seems to be reconsidering, and that's good.
Let us remember that Mayor Knight himself, less than three months before he declared his candidacy, addressed the city council as a speaker from the floor. His topic was controversial and his opinions made some council members visibly uncomfortable. Yet he did not have to register eight days in advance; he did not get grouped, screened, handled or prepared for; he had something to say, went to the meeting, was called upon and said his peace. His remarks were televised, prominently and publicly, as it should be. Hopefully the mayor will remember what it was like from this side of the dais.
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