By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
AUG. 8, 2025 | Have you ever appeared before your city council to make a public comment? Some citizens feel the need to go on record about matters within their city. In some Gwinnett towns, it’s easier than others, because of when the city allows such public comment.
Let’s face it: much of the machinations before our councils are required by law, some of it is long-winded, and often it is boring. But our cities must go through these maneuvers to keep matters legal and operational.
Some cities allow “consent agendas,” to move along routine, non-controversial matters that require city action. That helps. But ever so often meetings go on and on.
We wondered how the different Gwinnett cities handled public comment. We contacted the city clerks, who keep the city minutes and know what is going on, and asked each: “When do you allow public comment?”
Here’s are the responses of the city clerks:
- Brook Haney, Auburn: “After staff report, or at end of meeting. Must fill out a form on the subject before they speak, and item must be on the agenda.”
- Leigh Threadgill, Berkeley Lake: “End of agenda.”
- Robyn O’Donnell: Suwanee: “Audience participation happens mid-way through our agenda – after all public hearings, announcements, approval of the agenda, approval of minutes, and Council recognition – and prior to New Business.”
- Kim Wolfe, Buford: “At end of agenda.”
- Chandler-Faith Pitts, Mulberry: “Early on after we vote on minutes from the prior meeting and before first / second reads and action items.”
- Monique Philip, Norcross; ‘Usually at the beginning.”
- Robbie Schwartz, Loganville: “Loganville allows public comment at the end of our work session and during public hearings on zoning cases. Public comment is not allowed at our regular council meetings unless it has been combined with the work session.”
- Teresa Lynn, Duluth: “In the beginning.”
- Kyn Chereck, Peachtree Corners: “Public comment takes place towards the beginning of the Council meeting.”
- Melisa Arnold, Snellville: “We do it at the end.”
- Karen Pierce: Lawrenceville: “Near the beginning of the agenda.”
- Jennifer Scott, Braselton: “Beginning.”
- Jane Whittington, Sugar Hill: “Before the agenda.”
- Heydi Ortiz, Grayson: “At beginning of meeting.”
- Brittany Nix, Dacula: “At end of meeting.”
- Anja Peay, Lilburn: “There is no public comment for each meeting.”
Wow! Such variance! Eight cities allow public comment near the start of the council sessions, six do it at the end of the meeting, one does mid-way, and one doesn’t allow public comment at all!
Naturally, we asked Lilburn Mayor Johnny Crist why no citizen input during regular Council sessions. His response: “I have a regular town hall meeting the week after council meetings. Anybody who has any issue comes to that, and if I can’t solve it, then we get them immediately to the staff member who can solve that issue for them, or then we bring it to the council. We’ve never had a complaint in my years as mayor. We want to solve it personally to satisfy our citizens.”
Certainly, Lilburn’s method is going the extra mile to listen to its citizens.
Is there a perfect way? Who can tell? For me, I would prefer the public comment to be at the start of the meeting, so citizens can state their business directly to the council, and not have to stay until toward the end of the meeting.
But mainly: people should have easy access to speak their piece to the council when they want, and Gwinnett councils do that!
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