Plans are moving forward for public input at Sioux Falls City Council meetings to remain at the beginning of each session. By unanimous vote councilors agreed to kill a plan that would let the public address concerns at the end of the meetings.

With the decision there are restrictions in the compromise:

  • Keep public input at the beginning of each meeting
  • Each person will be limited to three minutes in the 30 minute segment
  • No video will be allowed
  • Comments will be allowed on first and second readings

According to KSFY TV in speaking with councilor Greg Neitzert, they are also concerned with the type of language coming out of public input.

"There's been a concern about the decorum in our meeting, and the problem is that the law gives us very few tools to actually control the content that people say, including very inflammatory speech," Greg Neitzert, northwest city councilor, said. "So, we can control time, manner, and place. What time in the meeting somebody can talk and how long they can talk."

Others addressing the council expressed concerns of transparency on the part of city leaders.

The Sioux Falls City Council will take up the new ordinance July 3 for the second reading.


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