Open government advocates say public forums should be broadcast despite misinformation fears

Evan Mulholland, healthy communities director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, spoke in front of the Hennepin County Board meeting encouraging fast action on closing the incinerator on Oct. 10. The board stopped broadcasting public forums in 2022. (GLEN STUBBE, STAR TRIBUNE)

Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Residents who want to address elected leaders in a public forum may not have much of an audience, if they have the opportunity at all, as some local governments scale back opportunities for public comment in meetings.

During the pandemic, online public meetings were essential to government operations. But after lockdown-related anger boiled over into comment sessions filled with grandstanding and misinformation, some local leaders moved to limit — or eliminate — opportunities for public comment at school board, county and city meetings.

The Hennepin County Board was one local government that voted to stop broadcasting them, while some school districts chose to hold less formal public input sessions without a majority of the school board present.

"I think what we saw was some people were taking advantage of the opportunity to give political speeches that had nothing to do with the business of their school district," said Kirk Schneidawind, executive director of the Minnesota School Boards Association. "Coming out of the pandemic, all of our school boards took a hard look at where they were at." MORE