A Pueblo citizens group submitted more than 2,000 signatures last week to the city clerk to reinstate the televised public comment session yanked from City Council meetings last year.
The public forum was officially nixed in September 2007 to avoid slandering of individuals on camera.
“It was getting out of control,” said City Council member Mike Occhiato.
“Some members of the council thought it was a liability issue,” he added.
Community members now voice their opinions during unaired work-session meetings held by the City Council on off weeks.
The Pueblo Citizens for Open Government, the group that gathered the signatures for the “Pueblo Free Speech Initiative,” argue the public should be allowed to voice opinions during meetings where many decisions are made.
“A lot of people are upset and feel the council is not being open for communication,” said Chris Nicoll, spokesman for the group.
This is especially true on nights when the council is taking action by resolution, which doesn’t require a public hearing before voting, he added.
“We still have a public forum where people are free to express their concerns relative to the city,” Occhiato said. “None of that has been sequestered.”
Legally, the City Council has no obligation to televise the public forum, according to the Colorado Municipal League.
After the petition signatures are validated by the city clerk, the council can either adhere to the group’s request or put it on the November ballot to let the voters decide.
Nicoll said the issue will most likely end up on the ballot, and he is prepared to run a full campaign to educate the public.
State law requires signatures totaling at least 5 percent of the number of votes cast in the most recent municipal election. Since 27,179 votes were cast in 2007, the group needed at least 1,359 signatures.
