The Cobb County Commission will vote Tuesday to change to its public comment policy to allow more speakers with a shorter time slot.
Currently, the board has 12 total spots for public speakers, each to have five minutes to speak to the commissioners — half toward the start of the meeting, and the other half toward the end. Speakers sign up to speak before the start of the meeting.
The proposed changes increase the amount of speakers per meeting to 20, each with three minutes to speak. The policy would also prohibit individuals from presenting audio or visual media using the county’s technology system during public comment.
County spokesman Ross Cavitt helped craft the proposed changes. He said commissioners wanted to open up more slots for people to speak after some residents complained they weren’t able to sign up.
“Three minutes is kind of an industry standard,” Cavitt said. “Most jurisdictions who are changing it now — like the school district, and Atlanta and Fulton County — they’re down to two minutes per speaker. We thought three minutes was proper.”
The communications department also had technical difficulties when trying to present audio or visual items from the public, Cavitt said.
“Then, when we’re not able to show it during a meeting, we get accused of censoring their speech,” Cavitt said.
The changes will also allow candidates for public office or salaried county employees, who are currently not allowed to participate, to speak during public comment. The policy will still prohibit using the public comment time to campaign for office.
The last time the county tried to change its public comment policy was in 2021, when it sparked outrage from residents who accused the board of trying to encroach on their free speech.
That proposal limited public comment to 10 speakers for three minutes each, and only at the end of the meeting, essentially cutting public comment time in half. The board then withdrew the proposal.
Commissioners will vote on the proposed changes at the Tuesday night board meeting at 7 p.m., at 100 Cherokee Street in Marietta.
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