Lansing - City council members abandoned a proposal Monday night that would have ended the broadcast of some public comment periods on local cable television.

Instead, the council voted 6-2 to shorten the amount of time the public has to speak, hoping to end what some council members call theatrics by overzealous residents.

Under the last-minute compromise plan proposed by Third Ward Councilmember Tony Benavides, the public comment period at the end of meetings earmarked for nonagenda items will be merged with an earlier chance to speak on items up for a vote. Residents will now only be allowed three minutes to speak to the council - half that previously given.

“No one gets everything, it’s a compromise,” Benavides said. “Nothing will change except time.

“I don’t think we will be shortchanging anyone.”

Councilmembers Harold Leeman, first ward, and Sandy Allen, second ward, voted against the measure.

Leeman said he doesn’t know if he’ll run for re-election because of the reduction in public comment time.

“I have to stand up for what’s right,” he said.

The measure brought a packed crowd to the council meeting, with more than 50 people speaking on the issue. Most of those who addressed the council spoke in opposition to limiting time or ending the broadcast of public comments.

Under the previous plan, supported by council President Larry Merry and Vice President Carol Wood, public comment on nonagenda items would have been moved to a Committee of the Whole meeting after the official city council session. That meeting is not broadcast.

Meyer and Wood were met with boos and insults throughout discussion on the issue. Before council could vote, Meyer called a recess to attempt to calm the crowd.

Citizens who spoke in support of the council were met with the same behavior.

Lansing resident Willy Williams, who spoke in favor of the plan, asked Meyer to stop people from laughing at him while he spoke.

He said many residents don’t come to the council meetings for fear of being harangued by “the squeaky wheels” - regular meeting attendants who some council members say grandstand.

“I’ve been here for five years, I want to get rid of them,” Williams said. “This group comes down to monopolize citizen comment with half-lies. They spit their bitterness at the council every Monday.”

Lansing resident Belinda Fitzpatrick, who said she’s a regular at council meetings, called the compromise plan an effort to save face when members realized the force of opposition to the original plan.

She said the measure will only decrease the time people can speak, not stop people from speaking up.

“If anything, we need more time,” she said.

Allen also said she didn’t know how effective the change would be.

“I don’t know what this will accomplish,” she said. “It just makes the meetings shorter.”