An April 21, 2025 story in the Watertown Daily Times details a Lake Mills City Council proposed ordinance to modify rules on public comment, as well as deadlines relating to meeting notices and filings.
The proposed ordinance, introduced by Council President Liesa Kerler, would amend city code to, among other things:
- Remove the wording, “Persons’ right to address Council” and “Right declared” and change it to “Public Comment” and “The Council will provide an opportunity for City residents and taxpayers to address the Council at each regular meeting.”
- Add new language that “City residents and taxpayers will be given preference” but that the presiding officer may recognize other speakers “if time permits.”
- Maintain the three-minute time limit for each individual speaker, but remove the exception to that limit for informational and public hearings, and add a new 30-minute limit for the total time for public comment.
- Change the requirement that a speaker register with the city clerk before the meeting is called to order unless they are speaking about a matter on the agenda, to instead state“Anyone wishing to speak is required to provide their name, address and subject of their comments.”
- Require that public comments be addressed to the Council and “relate only to city business.”
- Require that there will “be no discussion by or with Council members during public comment.”
- Add language prohibiting “profanity, obscenity, shouting, demonstrating support or opposition to comments through clapping, shouting, booing or any other form of distraction and disrespect” and noting “Violators may be removed from the meeting.”
- Prohibit signs in the Council chambers.
The proposed ordinance would also reduce the minimum public notice time for council meetings from six to two hours, in cases where the minimum 24-hour notice is “impossible or impractical.”
According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice website, the State’s Open Meetings Law permits but “does not require a governmental body to allow members of the public to speak or actively participate in an open session meeting,” but it notes that other statutes require public hearings to be held on certain matters.
Kerler’s proposed ordinance is scheduled to get a second reading at the May 6 Lake Mills City Council meeting, and its third reading May 20, at which time it could be voted on by the council.
