Community over convenience
Citizens concerned about road safety once again lined up to give public comment during Tuesday’s Chattanooga City Council meeting.
But while the issue at hand was ensuring the safety of bikers and pedestrians, one citizen wanted to the remind the Council of the frustration a recent council meeting time change has caused with some members of the community. Weeks ago the council decided to move back the council meeting time from 6 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., a time when most people are still at work or picking up their children from school.
“I understand that inclination to streamline your Tuesday schedule, and from an administration standpoint I think it makes good sense, but in terms of public transparency, accountability and trust, this decision has been, in my opinion, a failure,” District 7 resident Nathan Bird said during public comments. “Many people I’ve spoken to assume that you simply don’t want to hear their voices; and I know that’s not true, but there are many people who struggle to attend these meetings because they’re working, or watching children, and they cannot block out two or more hours for the chance to come speak here. We cannot bemoan the lack of public engagement in one breath and stifle it in the next.”
Bird went on to say that he doesn’t have an exact recommendation for a new council meeting time, but he asked for a consistent and transparent roll-out if council members decide to change the meeting time again.