During a recent city council meeting, President Helms announced a brief recess before reconvening to address several agenda items, including significant changes regarding the Gold Hill North Business Improvement District (BID). The council decided to postpone discussions on three key items related to the BID, including property boundary adjustments and authorization for issuing bonds totaling over $21 million, due to the presenters being unprepared. These items will be rescheduled for the next work session in two weeks.

The meeting also highlighted upcoming changes to the format of citizen comments for the next regular meeting, scheduled for 1 PM. In response to an overwhelming number of requests—over 200 to 300—related to the amphitheater, the council has limited citizen comments to 50 speakers, each allotted two minutes. This decision has sparked debate among council members, particularly regarding the fairness of the selection process. Some members expressed concerns that the current approach may favor those supporting the amphitheater, while others emphasized the need for a balanced representation of opinions.

Council member Johnson proposed that the 50 speaking slots be divided equally between supporters and opponents of the amphitheater, arguing that this would ensure a fairer discussion. However, President Helms defended the decision to maintain the current format, citing the need for consistency and the logistical challenges of making last-minute changes.

The council also addressed the potential for other constituents to voice concerns unrelated to the amphitheater, with plans to allow up to ten speakers on different issues, should they sign up. The meeting concluded with no scheduled executive sessions, and the council moved on to review previous meeting minutes.