By Betty Janik
At the last Scottsdale Council meeting of 2025, the Bloc majority consisting of Council Members Graham, Dubauskas, Kwasman, and Littlefield, voted to make significant changes to public comment guidelines. These changes include:
- Elimination of public comment at the beginning of Council Meetings.
- Reduction of public comment to one session at the END of the meeting.
- Increase the number of speakers and time for non-agendized items at END of meetings.
By eliminating the Public Comment section at the beginning of Council meetings, they have effectively reduced input from students, seniors, and working residents. This foursome ran on a platform of Listening to Residents. The change is abrupt and unwelcome. Councilmember Graham bragged at the end of this December 2 meeting that he was enhancing the ability of constituents to speak by allowing more speakers/time at the END of meetings. NOTE – in this entire year, only one person spoke at the END of the meeting. It’s too late for most residents. Berry must think that we are fools and don’t see through his attempt to silence his detractors. He would do better to do some self-reflection on their comments and adjust his approach to governance. Discretion is the better part of valor.
However, his detractors should have realized that the Bloc has the power to limit distasteful resident comments, and should have been more strategic in their approach to criticism.
The residents have now lost an effective way to call attention to local issues such as missing sidewalks, pot holes, improper drainage, and offer praise for successful projects. These changes were unnecessary and are an insult to our community.
Now Graham’s team is attacking Councilwoman Whitehead with misleading information, after she emphatically stated at the Council meeting that citizens have literally been “put last”. It is time for respectful, honest dialogue!
Betty Janik
Former Scottsdale Councilwoman