Aurora DiOrio, president of the county health board, addresses concerns regarding public comments during meetings. (Courtesy, Zoom)
The Monroe County Board of Health is developing a new public comment policy for its meetings.
Recent board meetings have seen current and former county health leaders express frustration with one another, which has led to long meetings.
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Aurora DiOrio, current board president, said it was her idea to discuss adjusting public comment procedures to make meetings more efficient and avoid situations in which commenters trade insults.
“So, it's a tough road here,” she said. “We want to manage that a little better without stifling public comment, so we're really trying to walk a line.”
She said while the board doesn’t mind controversial issues and disagreements, she feels a line should be drawn at personal insults.
At its May 15 public meeting, DiOrio removed the section usually designated for public comment. That was followed by a discussion regarding public comment procedures.
DiOrio said she removed public comments, as well as some reports, to focus on the proposed 2026 budget for the health department and to accommodate the tight schedules of a handful of board members.
“I think when people saw those two items together – like the public comment was removed and then there was an agenda item of discussion of public comment – they inferred that we were saying we’re just going to ban public comment, which is not at all what was happening,” she said.
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Any change to the board’s public comment procedure has drawn negative feedback.
Without naming the board specifically, Jennifer Crossley, president of the Monroe County Council, addressed the concept of removing public comments at the council’s Tuesday night meeting.
“We should be making sure that every single person that wants to come into any type of government meeting, whether it's a board or commission, whether it's our particular meetings, will be heard,” Crossley said. “I caution anybody that wants to try to change that to think twice before you do something that you will deeply regret.”
Two members of the county health board are currently drafting a policy, due by the first week of June. That draft will be up for public debate.
“In lieu of our July board meeting, a public meeting for the public – this sounds crazy to say – a public comment meeting so they can comment on the public comment policy,” DiOrio said.
She also said the board will also work with county attorneys in developing the new policy. Some ideas that have been shared between board members are utilizing the new board email for direct communications and using a digital feedback form.
DiOrio said the board will need to consider some mechanism to assure the public that it has received their comment, even if that comment doesn’t make it to an agenda.
