Update (Feb. 14): Boulder City Council on Feb. 13 unanimously passed an ordinance giving the city manager the authority to temporarily bar people from in-person meetings for disruptive behavior, effective immediately.
The Boulder City Council will vote Thursday, Feb. 13, on an ordinance giving the city manager authority to temporarily bar people from in-person council meetings for disruptive behavior. If approved, the rule would take effect immediately.
The proposal follows ongoing protests over the Israel-Hamas war, which have frequently disrupted meetings and led to about a dozen recesses over the past year, delaying city business.
“The city manager currently lacks authority to prevent members of the public from reentering any city facilities where they have previously engaged in conduct that threatens the health, safety or welfare,” a city staff memo states.
It adds that those barred from meetings would still have alternative ways to participate, including email and virtual attendance. Under the ordinance, people facing suspension could challenge the decision in a quasi-judicial hearing.
In response to the disruptions, the Boulder City Council temporarily shifted to virtual meetings. It is expected to return to in-person meetings on Feb. 20.