In a series of emails obtained by FetchYourNews.com, Angie Arp proposes changes to Blue Ridge City Council’s Public Comments rules.  She plans to present these rules at the next City Council meeting, so Council Members can vote and make the rules effective.

The emails date from early morning Feb. 7^th to mid-day Feb. 8^th, just five days after Jarrard and Davis released the findings of their inquiry to Blue Ridge City Council and the public.  The stream of emails are between Arp and City Attorney David Syfan, of Hulsey, Oliver & Mahar, LLP in Gainesville, GA.  Council members and some City employees are listed as recipients of the emails, but only Arp and Syfan contributed to the email stream.

According to the first email, sent at 2:03 am on Sunday, Feb. 7^th, Arp states that her timely decision to alter Public Comment rules was because “I think every council member agreed we needed a policy and four out of five approved of it [no date given when vote took place]… I think everyone will see that there has been no changes or additions that will not contribute to more professional, productive meetings.”  In the email she goes on to say that she has added necessary procedures to the current Public Comment regulations.  Arp’s suggested necessary procedures reduce comment time per speaker from five to three minutes. The suggested changes also take on the topics that are allowed in Public Comments.  Arp wants productive meetings to only regard city business “rather than allowing expressions of personal dislike or opposition of council decisions.”  Arp believes a change is necessary because “I [Arp ] want to focus the next few years on getting the critical things Blue Ridge needs done, rather than fighting with the mayor and council or those in opposition of the council.”  At the end of her email she erroneously states outcomes of Jarrard and Davis inquiry findings.  Arp says, “The investigation is over, everyone is cleared, I personally think it’s time to move beyond the past.”  The Jarrard and Davis inquiry found that there is within Blue Ridge City government: an on-going insurance fraud investigation led by Georgia’s Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner; questionable finances of a city department which can lead to a state investigation; and questionable unethical zoning decisions by Council Members which can lead to an investigation.

The new Blue Ridge City Council Rules of Meeting Procedure which will be presented in new business at the next City Council meeting contains restrictions on language in Public Comments and how those giving public comments or those in the audience can behave.  Contents of Public Comments can only be about “matters of the City”, meaning that the comments cannot express “criticism and discord toward elected or appointed officials” or City employees.  For people giving public comments, commentators can’t use “offensive, insulting, threatening, insolent, slanderous, obscene comments or remarks.”  Commentators also can’t question the Council during their comments.  Instead commentators must telephone or email Council Members and the Mayor with their questions. Per Syfan’s suggestion, the new allotted time limit for a person during Public Comments is two minutes, down from the five minutes allotted to discussion and presentations in all other sections of a Council meeting. The proposed rules also monitor audience behavior.  Once a meeting begins, no one from the audience can make comments except during the Public Comments section and only if they are speaking during the section.  Audience members can’t clap, cheer, make opposition gestures or other disruptive actions.  If member of the public violate the rules, either a vote of two Council members or direction of the Mayor can make the police remove the person.  The person can be charged with disruption of a public meeting.

Tuesday, Feb. 9^th Blue Ridge City Council meeting was cancelled due to weather.  As of Tuesday, a new date has not been set.  Agendas for City Council meetings must be posted seven days before a scheduled Council meeting.  People must sign up five days before a City Council meeting if they wish to speak during Public Comments.