Disruption spoils debut of Boulder's new public comment rules
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Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Boulder's revamped public comment rules debuted this month with a disruption that emptied the council chamber and left some speakers unheard.
Why it matters: City leaders are trying to balance free speech with order as protests surrounding the war in Gaza persist long after Boulder tabled the issue.
Context: To limit delays in city business and public outbursts, an emergency ordinance was passed last month updating comment rules at council meetings.
- Changes include limiting public comment to 45 minutes and starting meetings a half-hour earlier.
- Speakers who get passed over due to time constraints will be prioritized at the next public comment period.
- Public comment periods are now audio-only, and large signs are prohibited to limit disruptive displays.
- Boulder City Council has had at least 20 recesses during meetings in the last year, and many of the interruptions have centered around calls to issue a ceasefire in Gaza or consider divesting from companies that do business with Israel.
Driving the news: Boulder's first public comment under the new rules on Aug. 7 was cut short when two repeat violators forced a recess and cleared the council room.
- While video was turned off for the session, Mayor Aaron Brockett could be heard repeatedly telling two people who were not scheduled to speak to obey rules related to signage and standing before calling the recess.
- Councilmember Tara Winer told Axios Boulder the issue was just one or two people who "hijacked" the meeting.
- Meanwhile, Councilmember Ryan Schuchard said the city is "taking steps" to sanction those participants, which could include future suspensions.
What they're saying: About half of the speakers on Aug. 7 spoke about the conflict in the Middle East, with some also weighing in on the new public comment rules.
- Speaker Hillary Aizenman applauded the new steps as a way to limit hurtful speech and focus on local issues: "City Council will not change the course of foreign affairs, but it certainly can stand for the citizens of Boulder."
- The other side: During her public comment, resident Frida Silva accused the council of dismantling civic engagement "inch by inch."
Between the lines: While the Aug. 7 delay limited public comment to only a few speakers, the new rule separating public comment from the main agenda meant council members could discuss city business on schedule.
- "Council business ... is newly insulated," Schuchard told Axios Boulder. "And it worked the first day we tried it."
- Schuchard hopes that not airing video of public comment will encourage more people to weigh in remotely.
- Yes, but: Schuchard acknowledged that one hiccup already created a backlog of speakers. "We are going to have to learn and refine as we go," he said.
The bottom line: Boulder's new rules may help preserve meeting schedules — but they haven't solved the deeper tensions at play.