HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Huntsville City Council held their monthly meeting Thursday, July 11th, but the non-agenda public comment section will not be shown on the city's live stream.
As a result of FOX54's investigation, this is something we have found to be a move by Council President David Little, which may not have been communicated with other council members until after it was done.
"It's under the preview of the president of the council because the bylaws say the president, the council sets the agenda," said Bill Kling, District 4 Representative on Huntsville City Council.
We also spoke to Huntsville City Council District 5 Representative John Meredith, who said in a statement to FOX54, "I think it's a travesty. I think that the citizens of Huntsville deserve better, and I think that people need to have their voices heard." Meredith also says, "It's one of the hallmarks of my representation is making sure that my constituents voices are heard."
It's not just city council members who don't like the move. Huntsville Resident David Person says, "For those people who are not able to attend the city council meetings in person, they're going to be deprived of an important part of the discourse."
Huntsville Resident Dr. Marisa Allison said, "I think it's important that we have transparency in our local government. We have a lot of folks who have different disabilities who may not be able to make it down here, people who are caring for adults or children and they can't make it down here either and they do watch these public comments. So it matters that we have that transparency for everyone."
Another Huntsville Resident, Joy Johnson, said, "You come here and you get an opportunity to speak in public Not just for the consumption of the council but for the consumption of the public."
City officials say the move was made to try and professionalize these meetings a bit more. Huntsville City Council President David Little said, "City Council meetings are business meetings." Little also says, "We want the public to see firsthand the actions we take, the contracts we approve, and how we use our taxpayer dollars."
Person also says residents, like himself, not only deserve to be heard, but also deserve to hear from elected officials. Person says, "I think what we should be striving for at all levels of government is transparency and accountability, complete and total."
Kling said, "We work for members of the public. That's what we're there for."