At each council meeting there is an opportunity for the public to address the Council concerning issues that are not on the agenda. Public comments are taken at the beginning of each meeting. 

Members of the audience may sign up in advance to comment on items relating to City business.

A "public comment sign-up sheet" will be available at each regular and/or special Council meeting for the use of people wishing to address the Council.

Persons addressing the Council, who are not specifically scheduled on the agenda, will be requested to step up to the podium, give their name and address or other contact information.

All remarks should be addressed to the Council as a whole. Comments should be limited to those related to City business. A speaker shall generally be limited to speaking only once on an agenda item.

Comments may be limited to three (3) minutes, or another time limit, at the discretion of the Mayor.

Comments from the public are taken under Council advisement and may or may not receive action at a future meeting.

Use of profanity, vulgar language, defamatory comments, impertinent or slanderous remarks, or being boisterous, threatening, or personally abusive to elected officials, staff, or the public will not be allowed and may result in the Mayor interrupting or ending the comment.

Complaints, Concerns, and Questions

People with complaints, concerns, or questions will be encouraged to contact the City Administrator or Mayor or the Council may ask that the matter be placed on a future City Council meeting, Work Session, or committee meeting agenda with the appropriate background information.

Councilmembers do not engage speakers in dialog, respond to public comments, or answer questions. The Mayor may direct people to specific City staff for assistance

Political Comments

Speakers shall not be allowed to comment upon, promote, advocate for, oppose or speak against a pending initiative, ballot measure, or candidate unless properly noticed on the agenda.

Disruptive Behavior

If an individual or group of persons disrupts the orderly conduct of a Council meeting, the individual or group will be asked to voluntarily leave the meeting. Disruptive behavior includes impertinent or slanderous remarks or being boisterous, threatening, or personally abusive to elected officials, staff, or the public.

1. Sign up on the paper provided just inside the Council Chambers, on the table at the back of the room. Persons on the sign-in sheets will be called in order. When your name is called, come to the podium. State your first and last name for the record and your address. If you have a particular qualification by education/training, state that "I am a civil engineer." (If you can't find a sign-in sheet, the Mayor will ask if there is anyone else who wishes to testify after everyone on the sign-in sheet has been called to the podium.) Please note that the sign-in sheet is a public record, potentially eligible for release upon request.
2. Address the Mayor as "Mr. or Ms. Mayor" or "Your Honor" 
3. Address Council Members as "Council Member (last name) " 
4. Use your time at the podium to give your testimony. Direct your comments to the Council, not to members of the audience. Public comment period is not a dialogue. This is testimony for purposes of creating a legislative record. The Council will use your testimony to help them understand the issue and make a decision. 
5. The Council may question you about your testimony, ask for clarification, etc. 
6. If you have documents to submit, hand them to the Mayor and ask for them to be admitted into the record. When you are finished with your testimony, please take your seat, unless the Mayor or Council has questions for you. 

Public Hearings are scheduled near the middle of the Council Agenda. A sign-in sheet is available for those wishing to testify. Following a brief presentation by staff, the Mayor invites the public to testify from the sign-in sheet first. (Please follow the suggestions as stated above under Giving Testimony.) The Mayor will also ask if there is anyone else present who would like to speak but has not used the sign-in sheet. After everyone is finished speaking, the Mayor will close the public portion of the hearing and the Council will discuss the matter and may take action.

Do not attempt to ask questions of the Council or the Mayor from your seat in the audience. If you wish to give testimony during the Public Hearing, please use the sign-in sheet, or, when the Mayor asks if anyone wishes to give testimony, please raise your hand. You will be invited to the podium. 

Do not ask to take the podium after the Public Hearing has been closed. Once the Public Hearing is closed, no further testimony of any kind will be taken - even to ask/answer questions. 

Video on Demand

Viewers can access recorded Tumwater City Council meetings from the past two years on the City's YouTube Channel.

Live Stream

Stay tuned! The City is working on providing live streaming of regular City Council meetings.

Channel 26, Tumwater TV (Comcast Cable Customers only)

Most regularly scheduled Tumwater City Council meetings are telecast live on Tumwater Television, Channel 26. Meetings are re-broadcast as follows:

Telecast on the first and Third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.

Rebroadcast each Thursday (following the regular meeting) at 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Rebroadcast on Tuesday and Thursday of the following week at 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Request Copy of Meeting Video

Videos for most City Council meetings from the last two years are available on the City's YouTube Channel. If you are having trouble finding the meeting video you want,  contact the office of the City Clerk at (360) 252-5488.