The public comment segment of Pierce County Council meetings will be included in government channel cablecasts starting Tuesday, Aug. 2, Council Chairman Shawn Bunney announced. “The purpose of the public comment segment is for citizens to bring issues to the council’s attention. Although the opportunity to speak on camera is not a legal right, we are choosing to allow citizens as much opportunity as possible to express themselves to the public, as well as to the council,” he said.

Public comments haven’t been carried on the cablecasts since January 2004 when Harold Moss, the council’s chair at the time, and other council members were angered by demeaning personal attacks made by a few citizens during the time set aside for public comments.

Bunney said the council takes pride in a public comment segment that, even when it wasn’t shown on cable TV, “offers citizens the most open forum of discussion of all the major jurisdictions in Washington State.”

Most council meetings are held in the County-City Building and cablecast live. This week’s meeting is being held in Council District 1 at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Tapps Island Clubhouse, 20818 Island Parkway E., and won’t be carried live. Taped replays will be carried by C-RCC and shown on both Comcast 22 and CLick! 86 at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3; 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 4; 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5; 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6; 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7; and 8 a.m.