Fergus Falls council to consider changes to open forum policy after public comments and council debate

The Fergus Falls City Council on Feb. 27 opened a lengthy discussion about revising the city’s open forum policy after council members and members of the public raised competing views about whether the forum should remain part of the formal, on-camera council meeting.

A councilor argued the open forum has been used for purposes beyond its original intent and proposed returning to a prior format that places public-comment sessions outside the formal meeting and off camera. Supporters said off-camera listening sessions can foster more candid two-way conversation and prevent speakers from using the council meeting for publicity; others cautioned that moving the forum outside the meeting could reduce transparency, recordkeeping and the public visibility of issues.

Public commenters addressed the council during the same discussion. Becky Schwartzhoff (4th Ward resident) raised a charter concern about a recent vacancy and questioned whether a council member had legally reassumed a seat, citing Section 2.04 of the city charter. Mark Layton objected to moving the forum off camera and urged continued open access; a speaker identified as Norton praised the council’s discussion and defended free speech. Kirby Anderson, a school-board member from Elizabeth Township, described his district’s approach to post-meeting listening sessions with registration and urged a clear chain-of-command for problem resolution.

Council members debated practical details — whether to require registration, how to retain minutes or records if the forum is off-camera, how the city would respond to actionable questions in a timely way, and whether to limit repeat topics. Several members suggested staff return with draft options. The council then directed staff to research and present options and recommendations for a revised open forum policy; the motion to do so passed by voice vote. No final policy change was adopted at the Feb. 27 meeting.