What you need to know
During the special meeting, City Council approved changes to the rules and procedures for City Council’s 2024-26 term. Among the changes, “speakers are limited to addressing only topics on the current agenda,” according to the document included in the Jan. 6 agenda. Previously, public comments were open to any topic.
During the discussion of the changes, Mayor Duke Coon said he will not enforce the new rule–which will go into effect at the next council meeting–and will pay the $1,500 fine for violations himself.
“Vote your conscience on item number four, I will not enforce it,” Mayor Duke Coon said during the meeting. “So help me, God, I won't enforce it, and you can find me $1,500 every time I don't enforce it. Enough is enough. We're going to straighten this mess up and straighten this city. I've had enough of it.”
The details
Coon called for transparency and said the agenda item was publicly posted without his, Hardman and Wood’s knowledge.
“There doesn't need to be another day that this mayor, the mayor pro tem and Councilman Wood are no longer advised of these issues,” Coon said. “It's wrong, and it's a disservice to what we've all sworn to uphold. We can do better. We will do better. Enough is enough.”
Council member David Hairel said the Texas laws prohibit more than three council members from discussing a topic outside of public quorums, asking how transparency should change.
“Only three of us can talk about something, and so tell me how, how did we do wrong today, coming to this open forum?” Hairel said.
Also of note
During the discussion, council member Marsha Porter said Conroe is not the first to enact such procedures, and mentioned Montgomery County Commissioners Court, which has two public comment portions during its meetings—one at the beginning of the meeting that is limited to agenda items only and one at the end of the meeting that is open to any topic.
Changes in the new rules and procedures also include a dress code for council members and the mayor and a conflict of interest section, according to the document.
What they’re saying
- “This item will prohibit the public from speaking on items that are not listed on an agenda. I believe it's wrong, and I won't stand for it. Council, I'm asking you not to pass this amended version of item number four. If it passes today, I will not enforce it,” Coon said. “As a presiding officer over all City Council meetings, council members, as far as communication transparency, my door is open, and I'll be happy to discuss ways in which we can communicate in a more transparent and effective manner to make this organization a better place. Enough is enough.”
- “I certainly hope that this council will empower the citizens by establishing a process to get their topics on the agenda and give council the ability to resolve or explain issues instead of just sitting quietly, as required by [the Texas Open Meetings Act],” Porter said. “Everybody has the ability to stand up here and criticize the government. I'm not trying to take that away. I only ask that we make it an agenda item, so that when you do criticize, if you have misinformation, we can reply back and maybe correct that information.”
- “I've also been concerned about the effectiveness of the citizens' inquiry portion of the City Council meetings that don't pertain to specific agenda items,” council member Shana Arthur said. “Currently, citizens can speak, but council is very limited with their responses, which is concerning, because many of these comments from our citizens are important, but are not followed up on. I believe this common procedure will not only enhance and empower our citizens' voice and involvement in the community, but also unite us to reach our common goal. ... That common goal is to make Conroe a better place to live. ”
- “For the purpose of clear communication and better service to the citizens of Conroe, I believe it is best to discuss agenda items only and let other issues flow through the process,” Hairel said.
- “I'm incredibly concerned about item number four. Taking away a valuable asset that is a means of accountability—open comment time from our citizens—is in direct opposition to my core values, and I will not support it or any other further restrictions on the rights of the citizens to discuss city issues with us or their elected representatives,” Wood said in a statement read by Coon at the meeting. “In fact, we should be encouraging as much participation from our citizens as we can get. This is their house. This is their microphone, and there's no way around that.”
View the document below.
