Clearwater officials have temporarily lifted restrictions on public comment, opening the floor for speakers to share their thoughts on issues of their choosing.
The Clearwater City Council unanimously voted Feb. 12 to reinstate public comment on items not on their agenda for the next three months. The comment period is limited to either 30 minutes or 10 speakers, each allotted three minutes.
Council members did not have any debate Feb. 12, but in recent meetings have discussed the issue at length. The city has struggled to maintain decorum the past few years, as people increasingly use antagonizing language and behavior during public comment.
“I do appreciate the concern for the safety of the members of the council, as well as the public, but I think it’s an opportunity that the residents of Clearwater need,” said Vice President of the Clearwater Neighborhoods Coalition Patrick Raftery, who regularly attends council meetings but was not speaking on behalf of the organization.
In 2023, former Mayor Brian Aungst Sr. proposed that the city adopt decorum rules for City Council meetings. He said repeated appearances from a Clearwater resident and a YouTube activist were impeding city business.
The City Council approved changes to the rules of conduct during meetings and prohibited a number of behaviors, including obscene gestures, name-calling, interrupting speakers and refusing to leave the lectern.
But some members of the public ignored the rules, which they said violated their First Amendment right to free speech.
Michael Taylor, a Port St. Lucie resident, attended meetings throughout 2024, where he extended his middle finger, yelled curse words and refused to leave — all for his YouTube channel.
And during a March 2024 City Council meeting, Clearwater police arrested resident Daniel Holuba for refusing to leave after he was told he violated city rules.
In July 2024, the City Council voted to suspend public comment on non-agenda items after disruptions like these, which Mayor Bruce Rector said created “a circus” at meetings.
Residents and staff had also said they felt unsafe, and the online videos incited threats of violence against city officials. Taylor was charged with stalking City Manager Jennifer Poirrier and of violating public records laws by posting her personal address online.
Poirrier declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.
“My grievance is that this board has restricted the First Amendment rights of nearly everybody,” Holuba said Feb. 12. “The constitution needs to be restored now.”
The city held two town hall meetings last year, as options for people to address the council members, but they were unsuccessful.
When the city initially suspended public comment, Council member Ryan Cotton, saying he was concerned about limiting free speech, was the singular “no” vote. He broached the topic late last year.
“Clearwater is strongest when its citizens are engaged,” Cotton wrote in an email Feb. 13. “My role, and the role of this council, is to keep the doors open, the microphones on, and the conversation ongoing.”
The resolution City Council approved Feb. 12 is in place until May 8. The council can then decide whether to keep or amend it.
Colbi Edmonds is the Clearwater reporter. Reach her at cedmonds@tampabay.com.
