Hagerstown City Council Adopts New Rules for Citizen Participation in Meetings

The Hagerstown City Council has approved changes to its rules of procedure, significantly altering how residents can participate in public comment sessions during their regular monthly meetings. The amended rules, passed with a unanimous 5-0 vote in a special session, introduce a mandatory online pre-registration requirement for any citizen wishing to speak in person.

Under the new protocol, individuals seeking to address the Mayor and Council must now register online through the city’s official website. A dedicated “Speak at Meeting” icon on the homepage will direct residents to a registration form. This form requires accurate full name and mailing address, as well as the name of any organization or group the speaker represents, and the specific topic they intend to discuss. In-person sign-ups at the meeting itself will no longer be available. The completed online registration must be submitted at least 24 hours before the scheduled start of the Regular Session. Failure to meet these registration criteria may lead to the forfeiture of an individual’s opportunity to speak.

Speakers who have successfully pre-registered will be called upon in the order of their online submission. Each speaker will be allocated three minutes to present their comments, which must be relevant to city business. The Mayor will be responsible for determining the relevance of the topics. The total time dedicated to in-person public comment will be capped at 30 minutes. For those who registered but could not speak within the allotted time, written comments can still be submitted and will be included in the official meeting record.

In addition to the in-person speaking opportunities, the council will continue to accept emailed comments. Residents can send their feedback to councilcomments@hagerstownmd.org, and these emails will be distributed to the Mayor and Council members and formally entered into the record of the meeting. For inquiries regarding these new procedures, residents are encouraged to contact the City Clerk’s office via email at cityclerkmail@hagerstownmd.org or (301) 766-4183. Residents can also contact the City Clerk directly to sign up in advance if they do not have internet access.

The broader procedural updates also include minor housekeeping changes, such as updating the title of the Mayor from “Chairman” to “Chair” when presiding over Mayor & Council meetings and clarifying that the City Attorney is expected to attend all “Regular” meetings, rather than all meetings in general. The core framework of “Robert’s Rules of Order” will continue to govern the Mayor & Council meetings.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the City of Hagerstown Press Release

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