Amid increasing tensions during Chicago City Council meetings, lawmakers are mulling whether to change where members of the public can sit during sessions, including a possible move to a glassed-in area on the third floor of City Hall.
Currently, members of the public wishing to give comment at City Council meetings do so on the second floor, in the council chambers. They step to a microphone located behind where the members of the council sit, but due to recent upticks in disruptive behavior, changes are being considered to that set-up.
Instead, members of the public may be sent to the third floor, sitting behind a glass window and speaking into a microphone. The second floor would be reserved for those invited by members of the City Council, along with other groups such as field trips from local schools.
While the sergeant-at-arms of the City Council says the moves are intended to improve safety and security, they are meeting stiff opposition from those who want to keep tabs on the council’s actions.
“It’s a total disrespect to send people to the third floor when the second floor is nearly empty,” resident Mark Cotter said. “These people work for us. We don’t work for them.”
NBC Chicago Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern asked Alvin Starks, the sergeant-at-arms of the City Council, why the move was made, pointing out that City Council members will be unable to see members of the public on the third floor.
“You can hear them,” he replied, arguing that the “office’s primary focus is safety.”
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Some members of the City Council have expressed concerns about safety, especially in the aftermath of 12th ward Ald. Julia Ramirez being assaulted at a recent public protest of a proposed migrant housing facility in Brighton Park.
Even without threats of physical harm, disruptions have become more common in City Council chambers during Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration. According to WBEZ, committee chairs have resorted to reading rules of conduct in chambers, asking members of the public not to use profanity or to yell over others.
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Those violating those rules are ordered out of the chambers, but some lawmakers fear that such action isn’t enough, and are now considering making permanent the move of public comment to the enclosed third floor.
David Greising, president of the Better Government Association, says that moving the public out of view not only does a disservice, but also raises serious First Amendment questions.
“It’s important to have the public in the gallery, in the seats behind Council, not just as observers, but as participants in democracy in action,” he said.
While the mayor’s office declined comment on such a move, Greising said that his group will consider all actions to roll back any such changes.
“We’re looking into whether this action is legal. We protect open meetings. This is a core part of our mission,” he said.
Any rules changes will need to be cleared through the Open Meetings Act, according to members of the City Council, and the decision on whether to permanently alter how public comments are permitted remains unresolved.
