Board changes public-comment time from 3 to 5 minutes; ordinance adopted at meeting

The Board of Aldermen voted to amend the Harrisonville City Code to change the procedure and conditions for private citizens to address the board, increasing allotted public-comment time from three minutes to five minutes.

Council bill 26 was moved to immediate reading after a motion to suspend rules passed by roll call. The ordinance amending Section 110.197 of the Harrisonville City Code was read and approved by roll call vote; the clerk announced council bill 26 is now Ordinance 3724.

Why it matters: The change alters city meeting procedure for public participation and was specifically discussed in prior work sessions. During the public-participation portion of the meeting, the mayor noted the board would honor five minutes for speakers that evening even though the ordinance had not yet been fully adopted; staff later moved and the board adopted the ordinance in the same meeting.

Roll-call votes recorded at the meeting show unanimous affirmative votes when the board suspended rules to move the ordinance to reading and again when the ordinance was adopted by roll call.