GLADSTONE — At their regular meeting on Monday, the Gladstone City Commission tabled the matter of possibly changing their public comment periods. It will be again discussed at the March 9 meeting.

Right now, commission meetings offer one time for members of the public to address the commission. That occurs at the beginning of the meeting — after items like the Pledge of Allegiance and public hearings, but before getting into items of new business.

The notion of adding a second public comment period at the end of the meeting was suggested by Commissioner Whitney Maloney, the board’s newest member.

“Anecdotally, when I’ve been to other meetings in Delta County, I’ve always had the experience or the opportunity to give public comment at the end of meetings,” Maloney said.

Many other bodies in Delta County provide a time for agenda-related public comment early on and comments unrelated to agenda items at the end.

Commissioner Steve O’Driscoll also agreed with Maloney that it could be a good format to try, but the others weren’t so sure.

“Based on my experience on this commission, we’ve done this. We’ve had it at the beginning and the end,” said Mayor Joe Thompson. “…What it turned into was nothing productive whatsoever, and that’s the reason that we don’t have it.”

Maloney noted that speakers would still be limited to rules like a three-minute limit — and that the procedure change could be on a trial basis and later rescinded if it was ineffective.

Since one member of the commission, Judy Akkala, was absent, Commissioner Brad Mantela moved to table further discussion until the next meeting.

In other business at the Gladstone City Commission meeting of Feb. 23:

– Part of Fourth Avenue North was stricken from certification, as a 354-foot section had been considered roadway but had never been fully built. The segment’s termini are from 327 feet east of Morth Seventh Street to the end of Fourth Avenue North. The change will result in $335 of funding not received by the city. This area is expected to be developed and readded soon.

– The commission gave permission to the Downtown Development Authority to submit a grant application for $2,000 from the Community Foundation for Delta County to go towards a permanent Christmas tree, which has a goal of $7,000 total.

– Another grant application was approved; again for the DDA, who will apply for the T-Mobile Hometown Grant in order to “enhance public spaces.” In this case, the DDA would be seeking funds for its planned train depot-themed park at 701 Delta Ave.

– Farmer’s Market vendor policies were updated.