The issues and the speakers kept piling up before the Rochester City Council: One neighborhood opposed a new development in an old strip mall. Another opposed rezoning to allow a gas station to stay open 24 hours. There were questions and concerns about police body cameras, the placement of a skyway and rules for ride-sharing businesses.
The public commenters went on. And on. And on.
More than nine hours after it began its regular meeting Monday night, the council remained in session — well past 4 a.m. It was the longest meeting that city administrator Steve Kvenvold can remember in 46 years with the city.
With no time limits for speakers, "council tries to hear all the viewpoints and they hear the viewpoints more than once from the same people, and so you get two to three hours in one item," Kvenvold said. "It isn't a very effective way to run meetings."
The city probably won't see the likes of such a session again, though. City Council members immediately raised the need for speaker time limits.
"One of the things I feel very badly about is the public has to sit there as well," Council President Randy Staver said. "That's not being very respectful of their time."
Staver said the council will likely implement a time limit starting in January. By Tuesday afternoon, administrators had already ordered a clock.
Pam Louwagie
@pamlouwagie
