Testifying at City Council meetings

The hottest club in Columbus on Monday nights

This information applies to regular City Council meetings and Zoning meetings on Monday evenings and is directed at individual residents who are not officially representing any group or organization.

1. Meetings

Regular meetings of Columbus City Council begin at 5pm on Monday evenings at City Hall, 90 W. Broad St. The agenda for Monday's meeting will be uploaded to the city's legistar page at some point on the prior Friday.

Zoning meetings take place in the middle of the regular Monday meetings, beginning at 6:30pm. No matter what is going on in the regular portion of the meeting, City Council will recess that meeting at 6:30 to hold the Zoning meeting, then resume the regular meeting when Zoning concludes. The agenda for the Zoning meeting will also be posted on the legistar page, typically quite a few days before the agenda for the regular meeting is posted.

Anyone can testify at a regular meeting. Only people who have the specific legal right to testify on a Zoning matter may testify during the Zoning hearing. This typically includes the property owner, people who own property within 150 feet of the property at issue, and a representative of the relevant Area Commission or other controlling group.

2. Testifying

You have two options to testify during the regular meeting.

First - you can testify on one or two agenda items of your choice. You sign up to do this by filling out the speaker slip on the City Clerk's site beginning at 12:01am Monday. Prior to 12:01am the form will not be visible. You have until 3pm to sign up.

There is a limit of 3 people who can testify for an ordinance and 3 people who can testify against. You indicate your position on the speaker slip. You can also indicate that you are neutral if you believe the slots for and against are full. You will get a confirmation email from the Clerk at some point, usually around 9am if you signed up overnight, telling you what speaker number you are.

If you sign up early but have not received that confirmation from the Clerk by about noon, you can email to make sure they have you on the list, at CityClerkRequests@columbus.gov They operate at a normal pace and it's not an automated system so don't worry if it takes a couple hours from when you sign up to get a confirmation.

It is a good idea to provide the clerk with a valid phone number on the speaker slip form. If the item you want to speak on is going to be tabled (meaning no vote will be taken and you probably wouldn't want to testify), an aide will usually call to let you know that.

Your second option is to testify on a topic not on the agenda. This allows you to testify on literally whatever you would like for three minutes. However, you will most likely be speaking closer to the end of the meeting. Additionally, your testimony will not be livestreamed or recorded.

3. Virtual attendance for testimony

You can indicate on the City Clerk's speaker slip that you would like to give testimony virtually. The clerk will arrange for a link to be sent to you. Most people do not give testimony virtually but it is up to you.

4. Readings

Most proposed ordinances will have two "readings" which means they appear on the agenda at two regular council meetings before they are voted on and sent to the Mayor for signature. It is possible for an item to appear on the agenda for the first time listed as a Second Reading and indicating that the first reading will be requested to be waived. This is why it's necessary to check every single meeting agenda if you are waiting for a certain ordinance. Checking every other week could cause you to miss it.

You can testify on an item when it is on the agenda for the first time for First Reading. It is less common for people to do this, but it can be very effective.

5. The Consent Agenda

The Consent Agenda is made up of ordinances that City Council expects to pass with little interest from the public. The numbers of the ordinances are rattled off rapidly by the Clerk near the beginning of the meeting and one vote is taken on the entire set.

You CAN testify on an ordinance that is on the consent agenda. It is a great way to testify early in the meeting if you want to get your testimony in and get home.

Though it is mildly frowned upon, if you have a subject you want to speak on that is not on the agenda, but is somewhat related to an ordinance on the agenda, go ahead and sign up to speak on it. The Council President may interrupt you to ask how your points are related to the ordinance, but as long as you don't make a habit of it, no one is going to cut off the mic.

6. Written Testimony

If you can't make it to the meeting but you still want to express your thoughts, you can send written testimony to City Council. There really is no set or best way to do this. You can use the City Clerk's online form. The Clerk will distribute your submission to the Council Members. You can also email the Council President or the Council Member who chairs the committee that the ordinance falls under. You can email the Council Member you like the most, or you can email all of them. It is really up to you. Just make sure to send it prior to Monday or early in the day so they have time to read it.

Using the Clerk's online form is the most effective way to make sure all Council Members see your letter.

7. General Attendance/Transportation/Etc.

You must bring your photo ID with you to City Hall. The public entrance to City Hall faces Front Street.

There are bike racks near the Front Street entrance. There are multiple nearby bus stops, and City Hall is only one block from High and Broad. Street parking is usually available (Download the ParkMobile app). There are a few reserved handicapped parking spaces on the West side of Front Street. There is a ramp to the Front Street entrance.

To get to Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall there are stairs and an elevator. The stairs are curved and made of marble. I have not used the elevator but it has very mixed reviews from people who have.

You can bring in drinks or food within reason. You can not bring alcohol, illegal drugs, or weapons. You will pass through a metal detector and your belongings will go through a scanner.

You can take video or photos during the meeting, but testimony is streamed and recorded so if you want video of testimony you can take it off of Youtube after the meeting ends.

You cannot bring in signs.

You can enter and exit Council Chambers whenever you like, though generally people do not enter during the first 5 minutes or so of the meeting while the pledge of allegiance and faith blessing occur. Everyone can see you when you enter and exit Council Chambers.

There is a balcony. It's not any more comfortable to sit up there than downstairs.

If you speak loudly anywhere in chambers, everyone can hear you. If you need to have an actual conversation or take a phone call, go out into the hallway. However, even in the hallway people inside chambers might be able to hear you.

You only get three minutes to speak. Three minutes goes very quickly so practice with a timer. Aim for 2:30 during practice because you're going to talk more slowly than you think you will.

There will be a screen to your right that shows your time remaining. At the end of your time a dinging alarm goes off over the speakers. If you are finishing a point that will take less than 30 seconds, ask if you can have 30 more seconds. If not, just end your remarks.

You are allowed to curse. You are addressing your elected representatives and have the right to express yourself freely. However, if that crosses into abuse or threats, they may end your testimony or even have you removed. Use your judgment.

Council may have questions for you but it's not that common. Sometimes they may respond to a question you asked during testimony at the close of your three minutes, but they really do not get into back and forth very often. If they would like to talk more, an aide may follow up by approaching you in your seat and getting your information.