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Public Comment An Exercise In Patience

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By JULIA FERRANTE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 26, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Steve Byle waited nearly six hours for his three minutes at the lectern.

The Leisure Beach resident and unabashed county commission critic had spoken several times during public hearings at a board meeting Dec. 18. But he had to wait until the end of regular business - about 5 p.m. - before bringing up an issue that was not on the agenda.
County commissioners start their bimonthly meetings at 10 a.m., continue until noon then recess for lunch until 1:30 p.m. After that, they start public hearings, have public comment then return to regular business, followed by another opportunity for public comment.

It's anyone's guess when the public comment opportunities will come. Dozens of residents show up for their chance to speak before the board for the allotted three minutes, only to disappear before their time comes because of job commitments, doctor appointments, boredom or frustration.

Others have stuck it out only to find out the board could not vote on the issue at hand. Many more are directed to give their name and number to a staff member for follow up.

Byle, who has a legal education but is not a licensed lawyer, waited it out Dec. 18, then took the opportunity to chastise the county commission for putting their schedule ahead of the public's. He said commissioners should welcome the opportunity for residents to bring issues to their attention or simply to tell them they did or said something wrong.

County Commissioner Jack Mariano asked Commission Chairman Ted Schrader early in the Dec. 18 meeting to consider moving public comment to the beginning of each meeting. Schrader said he did not object but wanted a chance to mull it over before changing the meeting schedule.

Many government bodies, including the district school board and the regional authority Tampa Bay Water, on which Schrader sits, have public comment at the beginning of each meeting. It took about 30 minutes to get through public comment at the last Tampa Bay Water meeting, Schrader said.

"We're here anyway," he said, noting that the order of business may not matter to the commissioners.

Speakers are limited to three minutes at the lectern before the county commission unless the chairman consents to extra time. Those requests usually are made and granted ahead of time.

On Dec. 18, Byle brought up another issue about 6:15 p.m., the second public comment opportunity. He also tried to interject several times during discussions that were not open to the public.
Byle wanted the board to look at a map he said should have been considered during a vested rights hearing a couple of months ago.

The board received and filed the map but told Byle they couldn't discuss the issue because it was in litigation.

Mariano also tried to bring up the map earlier in the meeting but county attorneys told him the same thing.

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

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