Between The Lines
Adam Rudnick's reporter notebook
School Board could be more strict with public input time limits
May 26th, 2010 at Wed, 26th, 2010 at 4:20 pm by AdamCommunity members had a lot on their minds on May 24 during the second public hearing on the demise of Trafton School.
They had so much on their minds that the meeting didn’t conclude until after midnight.
More than 30 individuals and groups spoke during the hearing, which was the last chance for people to do so on the matter, said Misti Gilman, Arlington School District spokeswoman.
There’s no word on whether the six-hour public meeting was any kind of record, but there’s one thing that district officials won’t disagree with me on — residents had plenty of time to give input.
Their input, however, could have been streamlined by having someone bring a simple timer.
Before the public hearing began at 7 p.m., meeting attendees were told by Board President Jeff Huleatt that they should limit their comments to five minutes or less.
He said that people should aim for three minutes.
While some residents kept their comments relatively brief, others went on for longer than five minutes.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m in favor of having everybody get their chance to speak.
But regardless of one’s opinion on Trafton, each person should get three minutes unless they are representing a group of individuals (as Keep Trafton Alive spokeswoman Teri Forslof did during Monday’s hearing).
Giving people an extra minute — even an additional 30 seconds — all adds up in the end.
As a reporter, I love hearing passionate conversation relating to pertinent public issues. But time is important for me, and I’m sure other families feel the same way.
Be sure to check out my most recent story on the Trafton issue, which I posted Tuesday, May 25.
The Arlington School Board will be voting on whether the district should close the school on June 14.
Adam Adam Rudnick has worked as a reporter in Snohomish and Skagit counties since graduating from Western Washington University in 2006. Since then, he has written for a number of daily and weekly publications, most recently The Arlington Times and The Marysville Globe.
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