DeForest Village Board updates public comment rules

On Oct. 6, the DeForest Village Board revised its public comment policy while reviewing options for remote participation at meetings.

The changes establish new standards for those who wish to speak online during board meetings and those who submit comments to be read in their absence.

Those wishing to speak at DeForest Village Board meetings while attending virtually are now held to some new requirements, while those doing so in-person will see minor changes.

The board first broached the topic while discussing a potential shift from simple Zoom meetings to webinars or other services for its virtual meeting platform at its meeting on July, 21.

Village staff updated trustees about the recent string of online disruptions during meetings that day.

Policy background

Several times, unauthorized participants have taken control of DeForest’s virtual meeting rooms to make inappropriate comments, gain further access to village systems, and show pornographic imagery at times.

While troubleshooting ways to restrict access and prevent further such instances, the board found it best to realign its public commenting policy in tow.

Village Clerk Calli Lundgren came back at the Oct. 6 meeting with a draft of changes based on the previous feedback she received from trustees.

One of the largest changes is that citizens wanting to speak will now be required to fill out and submit a Public Speaking, Hearing or Information Request form to be recognized by the board.

This standard, which has already been in practice but not in policy, will apply to both virtual and in-person participants.

Physical versions of the form will continue to be available at village hall before board meetings; meanwhile, participants will continue to be able to submit a virtual form on DeForest’s municipal website.

The policy also includes a change from requiring speakers to list their addresses, to simply asking for their municipality of residence.

Those looking to have their voices heard virtually will need to submit an online form by 3 p.m. the day of the meeting, which is a new standard.

The new policy also requires virtual speakers’ to list their legal names on the form, and that this name needs to match the one they sign into the online meeting room with.

Next steps

Citizens will also still be allowed to submit a written statement to be read in their absence if they cannot attend a meeting in-person or virtually.

The policy states that these statements must be approximately 30 seconds in duration. A village trustee, or staff member will be chosen to read these statements aloud, though foul language or profanity will not be read.

Absent participants can also select a different member of the public to do so for them in lieu of someone from the village. That person will be allowed three minutes to read in this case.

Current village practice already allows three minutes for all speakers. The sitting village president, or the entire board via a voice vote, has been allowed to afford speakers additional time if they see fit. This still stand under the new policy.

Additionally, board members will continue to be allowed one clarifying question for a speaker following their address.

DeForest trustees had only minor feedback for Lundgren that evening and expressed consensus support for the draft and the inclusion of some small changes.

They unanimously voted for the policy’s adoption that evening.

This article was updated on Friday, Oct. 9 at 3:13 p.m. to correct a typo.