Hill County Commission limiting public comment

Hill County Commission Chair Mark Peterson, at the commission's weekly meeting Thursday, announced a change to future meetings that will limit comments from public officials and the public.

Peterson said that, from now on, the public and county officials will only be permitted to make comments or ask questions at the very beginning of the meeting during the sections labeled "public comment on non-agenda items" and "public comment on agenda items" in their agenda.

After that, he said, all public input will cease and further discussions will take place only between commission members.

He said the commission may ask a question of public officials and members of the public and only then will they be permitted to speak.

"They may answer that question, but only that question," he said. "They may not expand upon it."

Until now the commission would allow public comment during the early segment of the meeting, but also give the public, and county officials a chance to make their voices heard when they got to specific agenda items.

Officials often provide clarification and context on items as the commissioners discuss any given issue and sometimes voice concerns or opinions on said issues.

Under these new rules, that will no longer be possible.

Peterson said the purpose of this change is to prevent people from "disrupting" the meeting.

He said some people express themselves in a concise manner, but other sidetrack meetings and this change should prevent that.

He said if people have questions or comments they can also stay after the meeting as well.

Hill County Commissioner Jake Strissel said this change brings the commission's procedures more in line with Robert's Rules of Order, the standard model for meetings of bodies like the commission.

"That's how it's supposed to be," he said. "... That's why we have 'public comments on agenda items' first," he said.

Montana Freedom of Information Hotline attorney Mike Meloy said Robert's Rules doesn't actually govern public comments during meetings like this, only members of the organization in question.

Typically, he said, a body would discuss an agenda item among themselves, then open for public comment before taking a vote.

He said Montana law only requires that meetings like this afford the public a chance to speak to items before the body makes a decision, so the change doesn't violate state law. Allowing comments at the outset would meet the requirements.

" But it's not a very efficient way to run the meeting," he said.

Hill County Attorney Lacey Lincoln did not by printing deadline respond to a request for comment on the issue.

During the meeting the commission also accepted a letter of resignation from H. Earl Clack Museum Manager Emily Mayer.

Mayer's letter said her own business, Havre Historic Tours and More, recently received a substantial grant and she will not be able to fulfill the requirements of the grant and serve the museum with the devotion it deserves.

"It is best for the Clack Museum, the Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump and myself," her letter said.

Her letter said her last day will be March 4.