The Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) Authority voted to amend its public comment policy on Wednesday, with an aim to finalize the changes in March.  

Public meetings vary from board to board on how public comment is conducted, and GRU attorney Derek Perry walked the authority directors through different options used by cities, counties and other entities in Florida.  

The GRU Authority settled on having attendees sign up to give public comment (the same system used by the Gainesville City Commission) and moving general public comment to the end of the meeting instead of the beginning.  

The Gainesville City Commission went through several public comment changes in 2022, and boards are able to amend their policies at will.  

The authority directors also considered moving the time per public comment to two minutes, but decided to keep the current three-minute standard. But the authority’s current rules allow the chair to lower the public comment time if there’s a packed meeting.  

Director David Haslam and Jack Jacobs said moving public comment to the end of the meeting could allow the attendees to see staff presentations and have questions answered.  

As Haslam has said at many past meetings, many attendees will show up and speak during the general public comment before quickly leaving and not, at least in person, hear what staff says and how the directors reply.  

“If they would stay here in the meeting, they would have probably heard some of the things that they’re saying just are ridiculous or misinformed, possibly,” Haslam said. 

Many of the public commenters’ questions and statements are based on misinformation or incomplete information, according to Jacobs. He said staff or directors will address the comments and then the same issue gets brought back up. 

He added that, right now, most of the public comments when a lot of people show up centers not on utility issues, but the fight over who manages GRU, the authority board or the City Commission.  

“Once the lawsuit gets settled, I’ll be curious to see exactly how many people actually still come,” Jacobs said. “Because right now, the majority just want to fire us and get our resignations.” 

Director Chip Skinner said moving public comment to the end could be beneficial to people watching the meetings at home who want to hear the discussion and decision items but have to listen through half an hour or more of public comment first.  

The GRU Authority can get right to business, inform people and then take public comment at the end before each director gives their comments to close the meeting.  

“We can always change this back if it’s not working,” Skinner said.  

Speaking to the item, three public commenters opposed the changes.  

Chuck Ross said the authority should keep public comment at the start of the meeting to accommodate the public. He said people come to speak about more than just specific agenda items.  

“People come here to speak about their concerns, and some people want to go home with their family and that’s just the way it is,” Ross said. “It’s not always just to walk out on this board.” 

Ross said there needs to be more public comment, especially when people want to touch on a range of issues. He said public commenters should have a way to also talk about topics that the GRU Authority discusses but doesn’t make motions on. He said those topics often show up on the consent agenda and, if approved, leave to availability for comment.  

Ross also directed comments to Haslam concerning the back-and-forths the two had had earlier in the meeting. He said Haslam hadn’t followed procedure when he directly called out audience members in the crowd. 

Haslam responded afterward. 

“Mr. Ross, your borderline arrogant, uninformed attitude all the time. We can talk afterwards, if you like, we’ll have a police officer there if you like, too.”

He said the public commenters’ attitude and actions while sitting in the crowd were getting unacceptable. 

Nancy Deren also spoke about the item. She said public comment often brings a matter to a board’s attention and can bring solutions to issues. She agreed with Ross about attendees needing to be home with family as well.  

“Working people, families with children and retirees can’t sit for what can be several hours of a meeting or stay late into the night just so they can make a public comment,” Deren said.  

Perry will bring forward the requested changes at the GRU Authority’s March meeting.