The countdown clock on the left gives public speakers yellow and red lights as their three-minute time expires during their hurried comments to Renton City Council. The clock on the right records the time of day (and official meeting length). Weekly council meetings have been averaging just 44 minutes, so Council should consider allowing five-minute public comments again.

During the 28 years I was on Renton City Council, we gave members of the public who attended our meetings at least five minutes to speak.  If someone was giving complex testimony and needed more than five minutes, we would almost always grant it.  I always felt that anything less than five minutes was too rushed, and particularly difficult and unfair to those who speak English as a second language.  Occasionally over the years various members suggested shortening it, and I always pushed back, insisting on maintaining at least five minutes.

I retired from Council in December 2021, and in the following year the standard was changed to three minutes.  This change has resulted in too much hurried testimony, missed opportunities to solve problems early, and complaints from residents who often feel they are not being heard.  Rushed testimony doesn’t just miss key points– it also can come off as more hostile than intended, as hurried speakers often side-step pleasantries, don’t have adequate time to gauge how their comments are affecting their listeners, and sometimes may not feel they can slow down to breathe.

I personally recommend that Renton Council restore the five minute testimony.  Current Renton Council meetings average about 45 minutes, and this change would only make them 5-10 minutes longer.  Since Councilmembers are paid about $500 per week for their service, it seems fair that they give members of the public two more minutes each to speak on issues of concern to them.  (It’s typical to have between 2-5 speakers, and five speakers talking for two extra minutes would only add ten minutes).

The Council has also become shy about discussing the issues brought up by the residents, and I’ve covered that concern in a previous blog entry here.  The Council could add another five to ten minutes of interactive problem-solving with residents who come to speak, and still keep their average meetings to about an hour.

Below is a screenshot of the top of the agenda from my last Council Meeting in 2021, and the last paragraph shows that audience members still had five minutes each to speak to council, and even longer if we offered an exception (which we frequently did).

Below that is a chart showing the typical council meeting length.

This graph was provided to me by a resident who has been asking for increased time to speak at Renton City Council Meetings.