Overland Park officials have agreed to study whether to let the public speak at meetings about issues not on the agenda — something almost every other municipality in the area allows. But some City Council candidates worry that Johnson County’s largest city won’t decide on the matter until after the November election.
“It does not need to continue for two or more months,” said 5th Ward Councilman Faris Farassati, who is running for reelection and has spearheaded the push for an open public comment period. “Voters in November need this piece of information. They need to know how (council members) are going to vote about their First Amendment rights. I think it needs to be quite clear that voters have the right to know their reasoning.”
(Read more: Joco 913 News)