Lacey updates public comment guidelines for meetings following the Zoombombing incident

By JC Medina

Lacey now plans to revise its public comment policy in response to a race-related incident during a Commission on Equity meeting.

In the incident, which occurred on March 25, remote participants made discriminatory and hateful comments during the public comment period of the Commission’s regular meeting.

The incident sparked condemnation from the city council, which issued a statement denouncing discrimination and hate speech.

City staff began a review of Lacey’s public comment policy to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

After researching and attending training sessions on the topic, staff outlined options for updating the public comment policy.

Assistant City Manager Shannon Kelley-Fong said the options aim to increase accountability and ensure a respectful environment at public gatherings while protecting individuals’ First Amendment rights.

“I think it’s really important to align this with both our federal law and state law,” Kelley-Fong said

Arrange meetings

One suggested option is to take measures to verify the identity of remote speakers, particularly those participating via platforms such as Zoom.

This would involve pre-registration and the collection of certain information such as name, location and subject of comments. Additionally, updated Zoom protocols would be implemented to control speaking privileges and prevent disruptive behavior.

Another option currently being considered is to establish a universal time limit for public comment at all City Council and Advisory Board meetings. This would involve the use of timers to ensure comments remain within the allotted time frame, promoting efficiency and fairness in the public comment process.

A third option proposes creating standardized rules for public comment at all City Council and Advisory Board meetings. This would help reduce uncertainty and provide clear guidelines for individuals wishing to participate in public discussions.

The Equity Commission and City Council shared their opinions and recommendations on the options at meetings on May 6 and 7. City staff will update the recommendations and present them again to the council at a meeting.

“With freedom of expression, we also have to regulate the worst that can happen,” said Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder. “And unfortunately I think that in these circumstances, if we are going to try to put some restrictions in place, we need to be consistent about that.

Otherwise we treat people differently,” Ryder continued. “And that’s something we shouldn’t be doing here.”