THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2007

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Discussions Could Be Limited To 30 Minutes At Council Meetings

By CRAIG ADAMS

Journal Reporter

Park Ridge Procedures and Regulations Committee approved a limit on the length of public presentations at City Council meetings and discussed two other procedural changes for those sessions.

The committee took the actions at the meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Members agreed to a limit of 30 minutes regardless of the number of people participating in the presentation.

"That's going to City Council for the next meeting," said committee Chair Ald. James Allegretti (4th). The rule would apply to presentations including development proposals, zoning issues, special use permits, and planned developments. Allegretti added he doesn't know if the full council will agree with the length of time proposed.

"My guess is they're probably going to change it from 30 minutes up to an hour," Allegretti said. After an August meeting that lasted until nearly 2 a.m. and another in November that stretched until 11 p.m., he sounded relieved to get any sort of limitation in place. "I don't want to be there for two-hour, three-hour presentations anymore," he said.

Committee members also discussed changing the start time of City Council meetings from 7:30 to 7 p.m. "I think it's going to go as a discussion item for the council as a whole," Allegretti said. He added there was concern about citizens being able to make the earlier time.

Finally, the commission agreed the city's mayor should be able to participate in council discussions. Under current procedural rules, aldermen must vote permission for the mayor to join into discussions.

"He should be able to participate," Allegretti said. The committee moved to amend the procedures and it will send that on to the council as well.