By Reggie Connell, Managing Editor
As reported yesterday in The Apopka Voice, the public comments section of the Apopka City Council was moved to the very last agenda item - starting with its August 7th meeting.
Needless to say, there was pushback on social media and in emails to the administration.
Commissioner Nick Nesta, on his Seat 4 Commissioner's Facebook page, asked Apopka residents for their opinions about the decision:
"HELLO APOPKA: I need your feedback!" Nesta posted.
"Unfortunately, the topic of Public Comments at YOUR City of Apopka City Council Meeting has come up again.
It is of extreme importance that your voice is heard.
As a reminder the City of Apopka Commissioners DO NOT set the City Meeting Agenda and have no "control" over the Agenda.
The City of Apopka current Mayor Bryan Nelson does.
To that end, this latest surprise action to seek to move Public Comment to the end of the Council Meeting goes against a previous decision that was made by YOU and the entire City Commission when it was agreed/decided that Public Comment would be heard in the beginning of every meeting prior to any votes / action being taken.
Have you, the constituency, decided to change the agreed-upon order?
Public Comments in the beginning before the Apopka City Council moves on to Consent and Business Items has been the standard with YOU the Resident expressing your concerns.
Now for the Wednesday, August 7, 2024 - 1:30 PM EST meeting we are all privy to yet another surprise Agenda change targeting YOUR Public Comment time.
The entire CITY COMMISSION, including current Mayor Bryan Nelson (who also changed the Agenda the last time without any notification) restored the Public Comment back to the beginning of the City Council Meeting. However, here we are again with this unorthodox, inconvenient and blatant disregard for the will of the people.
Where do you want to see the Public Comment section at the City of Apopka City Council Meeting?
At the beginning of the Agenda where it is now or pushed down to the end of the meeting?
I am still here to advocate for you and only you!"
The post received 32 responses as of 9 pm Tuesday, with the vast majority asking for public comments to return to the beginning of the meeting.
"It makes the residents feel like they are an afterthought," said Todd Bengston. "That we are not the reason that the city council is there in the first place. Always serve the residents/constituents first, and you will never go wrong."
"They should remain at the beginning," said Fred Kinney. "Where they have always been. This is just an attempt to silence the residents and critics."
"The beginning is a better place to have public comment," said Jack Douglas. "Most citizens don’t have hours to sit and wait until it’s their turn. At the end of the meeting, it discourages citizens from taking the time to attend the Commission meetings unless that is the purpose of the change anyway."
Rod Olsen, a former Rock Springs Ridge Homeowners Association president and frequent speaker during public comments, expressed his criticism of the change in a letter he sent to the Apopka City Council, City Administrator Jacob Smith, and The Apopka Voice:
"If you hadn’t noticed in the August 7, 2024, City Council Agenda, the Public Comment Period has been moved to the end of the agenda.
One would think that this would have been discussed at City Council before making this change. One would also think that our Commissioners would have been the first to know of this proposed change. Clearly, at least two Commissioners were not.
The move of Public Comment to the end of the agenda denies, or at least suppresses, Apopka Taxpayers the ability and convenience of the upfront opportunity by requiring them to wait through a 2–5-hour long City Council meeting to announce events, address concerns, and participate in their local government due to work or family commitments.
At best, this change is an attempt to limit, restrict, and/or deny Apopka Taxpayers the opportunity to participate in our own government. What happened to a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people?"
