KILLEEN, Texas — In a dramatic two-and-a-half-hour meeting, the Killeen City Council voted unanimously (7-0) to remove public comment time at meetings for issues that aren't on the agenda.
The council held a special meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 5 p.m. with the item to vote on being whether citizens would be able to make public comments that are not on the agenda during City Council meetings.
This comes after numerous comments have been made directly at Mayor Debbie Nash-King and a number of the other City Council members from Killeen residents during council meetings in the past, most recently when Killeen resident Michael Fornino made insinuations toward King during the last city council meeting on Dec. 19.
Councilman Michael Boyd made a motion on this issue and said that what some residents have been doing is in direct violation of freedom of speech.
"Unfortunately, topics of choice have not been community-related issues or matters, but constant unfounded allegations and direct threats, acts of humiliation and slander methodically targeting council members," Boyd explained.
On the other hand, former councilwoman Melissa Brown believes she and other citizens are being silenced.
"This is the only way to bring up conversations is to have it to where the citizens can talk freely during those meetings and address those concerns," Brown shared.
The council held a closed meeting to receive legal advice from city attorneys to ensure their decision wouldn't clash with freedom of speech.
After less than an hour, the council voted unanimously.
"We can hear the good the bad and the ugly," Councilwoman Jessica Gonzalez explained. "Incitement, hate speech, derogatory statements. Those are completely unacceptable. It's not by our standards, it's by the law."
The only way residents will now be able to relay messages to the council will be to contact them directly.
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