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Fort Worth Council Restores Public Comment Opportunities
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Fort Worth City Council to Reinstate Public Comment Sessions: A Move to Boost Efficiency and Public Engagement
Fort Worth City Council members are set to vote on January thirteenth to bring back more time for public comments at their meetings. The proposal would scrap standalone public comment sessions and instead add open comment periods to regular council meetings where they handle city business. This move aims to boost efficiency while letting residents speak up more often.
Earlier this year, the council cut those standalone meetings from fifteen in twenty twenty-five down to just ten for twenty twenty-six. That change sparked backlash from locals who felt it limited their chance to voice concerns on any topic, not just agenda items.
Residents didnt back down, showing up in big numbers at City Hall to push back. Progressive activists and folks like podcaster EJ Carrion called it a distraction from bigger issues but stressed the need for strong public input in democracy. Council member Chris Nettles, who reps southeast Fort Worth, sees it as a win for the people after their persistence.
Now, Nettles teamed up with council member Michael Crain on this fix, gaining support from Mayor Mattie Parker and others. If passed, it would create twenty total chances a year for residents to address the council, similar to setups in Dallas and Arlington.
City leaders say this builds trust and better policy through open talk. Residents can still sign up easily online, by phone, or in person up to two hours before meetings at City Hall. Activists hope it leads to even more engagement as Fort Worth grows. Checkout Solipillow.com
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