Is Greensboro’s City Council censoring public speech?

Power in America…,
is control of the means of communication.

Theodore White
Political Journalist

"Speakers will have to wait

...folks who want to speak to City Council are going to have to wait their turn.

Mayor Bill Knight will move to “speakers from the floor” portion of the council meetings
from the beginning of the agenda to nearly the end.

This regularly scheduled public comment period is required by state law.

Public boards must allow for at least one half-hour every month
to let the public say whatever they want to the board.

…Councilman Zack Matheny and Councilwoman Trudy Wade liked the idea,
arguing that it would be best to get the city business out of the way first.

But Councilwoman T. Dianne Bellamy-Small
warned it might not be a very good public relations move.

“The message is going to be that we don’t want to hear from people,” she said.
“Yes you put it on the agenda, but it is the very last thing.” "

Amanda Lehmert
Greensboro News & Record, January 5, 2010