A proposal to tighten restrictions on Akron City Council's public comment period has been withdrawn.
Council Vice President Jeff Fusco’s legislation would have, if approved, restricted public comment to Akron taxpayers, utility customers, residents and property owners. It also required commenters to focus on matters that city council has authority over.
“I don’t know if this is the proper ordinance at this time for this,” Fusco said during council’s rules committee meeting Monday.
Several council members, including Fran Wilson and Linda Omobien, raised concerns that the proposal would have cut out important voices.
“Daily commuters, students, renters, homeless, adjacent or regional stakeholders, advocates, former residents, business customers - there are a lot of people who are excluded,” Wilson told Ideastream Public Media.
The proposal was not meant to exclude anyone, Fusco said; rather, he’s concerned about a lack of civil discourse during council meetings.
“It seems as though our chambers has become a place for intimidation, bullying, comments that are out of line,” Fusco said.
Canton City Council recently suspended its public comment period altogether, citing safety concerns and an influx of people speaking on matters that council does not have authority over.
In 2023, Akron City Council approved certain restrictions, including limiting the comment period to 10 speakers. Speakers can speak once every 30 days.
Fusco plans to work with state officials and the city’s law department to revisit his proposal next year.
“I’m going to be pursuing and hoping that we can put in place laws or restrictions, not even restrictions, I don’t want to go that far, but put something in place that people from all over Akron will feel welcome in our chambers,” Fusco said. “They don’t anymore.”
Councilmember Omobien agreed that some comments have been “derogatory” but doubted Fusco’s proposal would help.
“I just don’t know if we’re going to ever be able to control what individuals’ say, and how they feel about what we do down here sometimes,” Omobien said.
The onus should be on council members to discuss what they can do differently to make people feel more included and heard, Omobien added.
Council votes on other rules Monday
Council adopted a few new changes to its rules Monday.
Council approved using gender-neutral titles - such as Councilmember instead of Councilman - and merging two committees: the public service and public utilities and green committees. The legislation also provides parameters for how council members can use city council’s official logo.
However, council rejected a proposal that would have imposed term limits for leadership roles and restricted the number of committees a person can chair.
Council members are also mounting another effort to save the former Firestone Tire Company headquarters from the wrecking ball - or at least a portion of it.
Council unanimously approved a resolution urging Mayor Shammas Malik and city planning officials to salvage the building’s front façade and clock tower from demolition.
“This is a very important building and an important structure for the history of Akron and how we got here,” Ward 7 Councilmember Donnie Kammer said. “I’m hoping with this, the city administration will look at all possibilities.”
The deteriorating building is currently slated for demolition, after city officials said they did not get any feasible proposals from developers last month.
