NEWBERG, Ore. — A proposed restriction to Newberg City Council’s public comment rules was removed from future consideration after a petition and nine speakers addressed the council Monday night.
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The issue came before the City Council as an administrative item requesting direction on whether to amend council rules governing public comment and meeting decorum.
According to a Request for Council Action prepared by city staff, councilors were asked to consider two questions: whether to add formal decorum standards to the council rules and whether to eliminate general public comment in favor of accepting comment only on items listed on the meeting agenda.
Mayor Bill Rosacker opened the meeting by reading a prepared statement outlining why the agenda item was brought forward.
“Over the past several meetings, emotions in this chamber have run high,” Rosacker said. “Many of our residents care deeply about the issues affecting their lives, and I respect that. But a significant portion of recent public comment has focused on matters outside the authority of the city government. When that happens, it strains our staff, disrupts the work of the council, and increases the risk of escalation. The tension in this room has reached a point where there is legitimate concern that emotional escalation could become physical — and that is not acceptable in Newberg.”
The proposed changes, outlined in a redlined draft of the council’s rules, would remove the existing public comment period for non-agenda items and replace it with a policy stating that the council “will not accept public comment unrelated to agenda items.” The draft also formalizes registration deadlines, time limits, and conduct standards for speakers.
Newberg resident Jessica Yu presented the City Council with a petition started on Thursday that had received more than 300 signatures by Monday.
The petition, titled “Petition to Preserve Unimpeded Public Comment at Newberg City Council Public Forums,” urges councilors to reject the proposed limits on public comment, arguing that eliminating general comment would undermine First Amendment principles and weaken public access to local government.
“I was amazed by how quickly people found the petition and chose to speak up about this,” Yu said.
Commenters supporting the petition said restricting comments to agenda items would create barriers for residents who are unfamiliar with city procedures, unable to monitor agendas closely, or reliant on flexible participation due to work schedules, caregiving responsibilities, or disabilities.
Newberg resident and Affordable Housing Commission Chair Casey Banks said she would support the proposed decorum rules, provided they are inclusive of people with disabilities. She also encouraged the council to establish a minimum public speaking time, and said limiting public comment to agenda items could hamper the council’s ability to understand residents’ lived experiences.
“The rationale mentions it being a time of inflamed passions,” Banks said. “I like passion. I don’t think that impassioned times are when you limit public comment. That seems to be when people most want to use this tool.”
Newberg resident Jim Talt, who earlier addressed the council about sidewalk repairs during general public comment, said he would not have been able to raise that issue if comments were limited to agenda items.
“Residents will not be able to come before you, the entire council, and voice concerns or make suggestions on Newberg city services, matters of public safety, or anything else,” Talt said. “You will severely restrict our access to be heard by the entire council with its full spectrum of differing personalities and differing empathies.”
Newberg resident Robert Soppe criticized the current public comment system, noting that council rules do not allow councilors to respond to comments during meetings. He said the lack of follow-up can make residents feel ignored.
“Do you think that citizens who get nothing more than a thank you feel like they are getting a high level of service?” Soppe asked.
After public comment concluded, the council unanimously agreed that restricting public comment to agenda items should not be included in any updated rules. Councilors unanimously supported updating decorum standards and discussed the possibility of revisiting general comment rules if meetings become unmanageable.
“An area we would like to limit is the topics council has jurisdiction over,” said Councilor Peggy Kilburg. “The biggest extreme is talking about President Trump. We can’t fix him being in office, so I would really appreciate general public comments being related to Newberg.”
Councilor Jeri Turgesen said she also supports reviewing public comment procedures to ensure comments are not only heard but addressed.
“We never make any kind of response, and so that creates space for individuals to feel like they’re not being heard, and that makes them come back,” Turgesen said. “Even if we put out a statement to say, ‘We hear you. We hear your concern.’”
Rosacker closed the discussion by acknowledging both the public comments and the council’s dialogue.
“I think the audience today has shown very clearly that they are capable — that we are capable — of acting civilly, of acting like a community,” Rosacker said. “I think it’s clear that citizens find this a valuable forum.”
Councilors will submit decorum suggestions to City Recorder Rachel Thomas, who will review them with legal counsel and present revised decorum rules at the next City Council meeting on Feb. 16.
