St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners to no longer allow public comment on agenda items during meetings

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. - The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will no longer have public comment on agenda items during meetings. The new rule was adopted this week.

Before, the public was allowed three minutes to speak on any item after commissioners had discussed it.

Commission President, Carl Baxmeyer, says he didn't believe that was productive because the public could only weigh in after a vote.

Baxmeyer stated, "I never liked the fact that we waited until the end. But we don’t want to turn the meeting into a debate, a public debate, on something that's been decided."

Instead, people at the meeting will be allowed to fill out a "privilege of the floor" form.

Then, commissioners can decide whether to respond in writing or bring it up for discussion at the next public meeting.

So, even later than before.

ABC57 asked why the commission didn’t just move public comment before the vote. Baxmeyer said the county is going to see how this new rule works first.

"Public comment is not required for governing bodies other than school boards and township advisory boards," Indiana Public Access Counselor, Luke Britt, told ABC57 in an email. His office is responsible for overseeing the state's sunshine laws. "[Public comment is] a courtesy extended by all other boards, including county commissioners. I encourage the practice, but it is not a statutory obligation. In short, yes, it’s legal."

Commissioner Baxmeyer says the county is still working on creating a digital version of the form for people to use online.

He says commissioners can still choose to allow public comment before a vote on an especially controversial issue, like the closing of Portage Manor.

He says there will still be public discussion at the end of the meeting, just not about items on the day's agenda.