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    Lander council to discuss public comment protocols during work session Tuesday

    The Lander City Council will hold a work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, in the City Council Chambers at 240 Lincoln St.

    The agenda features a discussion with the Lander Old Timer’s Rodeo Association regarding several topics, including the rodeo grounds rental fees, building lease, and grounds license for use outside the building.

    The council will also discuss protocols for public comment during the work session.

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    Public comment

    City attorney Adam Phillips offered a review of public comment rules during a regular council meeting Jan. 10, describing city council meetings in Wyoming as “limited public forum(s)” where the governing body can control speech in certain ways.

    For example, Phillips said, “government officials can limit comments to relevant subject matter, control disruptive or overly repetitive speakers, and impose reasonable time, place and manner restrictions on speech.”

    They can’t “silence speakers on the basis of their viewpoint or the content of their speech,” however, Phillips said.

    He added that the council is not required to offer a public comment period as part of its regular government meeting process.

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    “Essentially it’s up to you,” he told the council. “It’s truly up to you as the governing body to discuss … whether you want public comment or not, and if you want it, under what circumstances – what limitations you’re going to have, and how you’re going to limit those to scope, time and relevance.”

    Tuesday’s work session is open to the public for in-person attendance and will be streamed live on Zoom (Meeting ID: 818 3727 2096 Passcode: 068684).

    Past meeting recordings are available here.

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    For more information call the City of Lander at 332-2870.

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