Outnumbered 5-1 last Monday, Jordan Mayor Ewals saw the council vote to add a public comment period toward the end of its meetings. Jordan City Councilmember Sally Schultz was absent from the meeting.

Ewals argued for citizens to be involved before the council votes on a motion, while others argued to limit each public comment to three minutes toward the beginning or end of each meeting.

Fellow councilmembers scolded Ewals, saying that during meetings the council must strike a balance between the public getting its say and the city maintaining an orderly meeting so the council can finish its work.

“We also have a job that we need to complete,” Councilmember Jeremy Goebel said.

“We need to keep this effective,” Councilmember Tanya Velishek said.
“If a person wants to speak, they have a right to speak,” Ewals responded. “You don’t care. … Their opinion doesn’t count.”
For years, limited public input was allowed during council discussions, Goebel argued. “I invite it. None of us has a problem with it.”

But he added that he does not want a meeting to become “allowing an open free-for-all.”

Read the full story in the Nov. 12 print edition of the Jordan Independent.