THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 21, 1994 TAG: 9410200175
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
A thief who steals 10 bucks and, on being caught at his dirty work, agrees to give back eight has not made restitution. In the same way, City Council's reluctant response to the public outcry over restrictions on free speech at its meetings, earns it little credit.
As a group of aroused citizens milled about outside their chamber door Tuesday night, the Council begrudgingly rescinded its 21-day ban on comments from the public about matters not listed on its official agenda.
What it did not do, however, is return to the people of Chesapeake the same rights and privileges they enjoyed before the insulting and autocratic decree of Sept. 27.
Under the revised revision of the council's official rules of procedure, which takes effect next week, the comments of citizens on non-agenda items will be tolerated. They will be televised on the city's cable television channel. They will be included in the official minutes of the meetings. They will even take place while city staff members are still present to hear them.
In all these important respects, the right of the people to participate in their own government has been restored. The many good citizens who wrote letters, made phone calls, sent faxes, wore protest signs, attend rallies and circulated petitions can take pride in what they accomplished.
But their triumph can only be described as incomplete. In backing down from their untenable position, the councilmen could not resist a final, spiteful jab at those who dared challenge their authority. Citizen comments on non-agenda items, which have long been the first item of business at council meetings, now will be the last.
In order to share his or her ideas with council, a citizen will be required to wait until all other business has been dispensed with. On many meeting nights, this will be close to midnight or even later. Since there's no way to tell when that point in the agenda is reached, citizens who wish to speak will just have to cool their heels.
Councilman Arthur L. Dwyer's claim that council's recapitulation represents responsiveness to residents' concerns is hooey. It was political damage control, nothing more.
There's no getting around the fact that it is more difficult for citizens to participate in the processes of their local government now than it has ever been. That's not right. ILLUSTRATION: FRIDAY IS:
DAY 24
of the ban on free public expression during official meetings of
the Chesapeake City Council.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE CITY COUNCIL
by CNB