Please, stop broadcasting the Citizens Forum until we can all behave!

Civics 101: Polite, respectful behavior in public

Anyone who pays attention to Irving City Council actions knows there have been several contentious issues before the Council in the past few months. There was the vote for an audit of the Entertainment Center expenses, a vote to pursue an appeal of the Texas Attorney General’s findings relating to the use of sales tax to fund the EC, there was a drawn out review and approval of the City's economic development services agreement with the Chamber, and, more recently, a review of the contract for David Dean, a consultant to the city on water and transportation issues. Mr. Dean also organizes the signature transportation summit that is held annually in Irving.

All of the Council’s work sessions and regular meetings are streamed live over the Internet and broadcast on ICTN, and are available through the City’s Web site on an “on demand” basis—a true gift for us, residents, permitting us to view the discussions and learn about the issues relevant to our neighborhoods and our quality of life.

Public meetings must allow for comments from citizens. The Irving City Council meeting agendas include the Citizens Forum, an opportunity for individuals to come to the microphone and address the council for up to three minutes on any topic not on the agenda. Speakers are expected to be respectful and the council may not respond. (Note: Citizens may also speak for or against any item on the agenda during the meeting.)

Several years ago, the Citizens Forum was abused so badly by a handful of people that it was moved to the end of the council meetings and the cameras turned off. Amid claims that that action limited the right of free speech, The Irving Journal did an analysis of the speakers in the Forum for the year prior to the decision to cease its broadcasts. During that year, three people accounted for perhaps ninety percent of the Forum appearances. There were only a handful of others who spoke at any time during that period.

Two of the speakers who each spoke at most of the meetings often took to the microphone to denigrate neighbors and slur ethnic groups, opening the city to lawsuits and residents to humiliation. Thus, the mic was left on, but the cameras were turned off, preventing abuse of the venue for neighbor-on-neighbor attacks. I personally applauded this decision as I don’t believe free speech includes the right to be broadcast.

A few months ago, the decision was made to restore the forum to the top of the agenda and put it back on ICTN, the Internet and On Demand. And, guess what? It’s déjà vu all over again. Same play, different cast.

At every meeting we see the same three or four people approach the mic to voice their opinions—and often their animus—about everything under the sun. Recently, one citizen’s charge was so personal that a council member told the mayor that he would walk out if another personal attack was voiced.

Unless the mayor can control the ad hominem and mean-spirited testimony during the Citizens Forum, it should again assume its rightful place at the end of the agenda. Even limiting the frequency any individual can speak in this forum would help.

Until our behavior in public can be controlled, it should be lights out.
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According to the minutes and videos of the meetings held July through October (seven meetings), one individual spoke 18 times, including every Citizens Forum and 11 other agenda items. Another spoke 16 times, six of seven Citizens Forums, and10 other times including six times during one council meeting. Data available at http://cityofirving.org/city-secretary/index.asp.