City council could require virtual commenters to show their faces
In the wake of antisemitic and other offensive comments offered during its last meeting, the council is looking to alter its code of conduct for public comments.
The Laramie City Council will consider a resolution that would require virtual commenters to turn on their camera, refrain from personal attacks and limit their comments to city business.
The council meets today at 6:30 p.m. to take action on this and other topics.
“Video cameras enable participants to provide visual identification, promote open communication, and enhance the overall quality of virtual meetings,” argues the resolution’s cover sheet. “Ensuring that all participants have their cameras on during virtual meetings can help deter disruptive or inappropriate behavior and ensure the integrity of public discourse.”
The new resolution comes after the council was bombarded with antisemitic and other disruptive comments during a meeting last month.
One commenter had used his time to rant about Jewish religious texts, while another slipped into Nazi dog whistles before also starting to rant about the “atheists and Jews.” At another point, the council cut to a virtual commenter only to be greeted by a computer voice launching into a tirade about “illegal aliens.” None of these commenters showed their faces.
“I have been on council for five years and in that time we have never confronted anything like this,” Mayor Brian Harrington told the Laramie Reporter. “The unabashed hate took me by surprise. It isn’t how we treat one another in Laramie.”
Responding to these disruptions, the council is now considering a resolution to revamp its code of conduct for public comments.
The resolution first adds the requirement that commenters make themselves visible.
“All participants, including members of the City Council, city officials, and members of the public, must have their video cameras enabled and turned on when they wish to address the council, interact with staff, or participate in voting during city council meetings,” reads the new language, noting there could be exceptions for situations involving technical difficulties, privacy concerns or attendance by phone.
The new language would also forbid yielding one’s time to another commenter and require that input from the public stay on topic.
“When commenting on agenda items, the comments must be germane to the agenda item,” the new language states. “When commenting on non-agenda items, the comments must be germane to City business over which Council has control.”
But in the most direct response to the antisemitic outbursts that disturbed councilors last month, the new language includes a specific ban on inappropriate comments. This mirrors a prohibition already present elsewhere in the city’s code of conduct.
“Without limiting any other guideline, speakers may not use public comment for political campaigning or commercial advertising, nor use threatening, obscene, or defamatory language or make personal attacks,” the new language would read.
The resolution also appears to cut a sentence from the current code of conduct regarding meeting disruptions. The current code states:
“Nothing herein shall limit or restrain negative, positive or neutral comment about the manner in which an individual employee, officer, official or council member carries out the council member’s duties in public office or employment.”
The new language provided through the council’s agenda does not include this line.
The council meets today at 6:30 p.m. in city hall. The meeting agenda, as well as the link for virtual attendance, can be found on the city’s website.