An Athens resident complained Monday about the Athens City Council holding its work sessions in the backroom of the City Council Chambers.

Kelly Range said he wants the council to return to holding work sessions, where agenda items are discussed in detail, in the larger chamber so there is room for residents to sit and listen to council member discussions.

All council meetings and work session are open to the public. The council used to hold its work sessions in the council chambers, where council members sat behind a desk in chairs on the dias, or platform, and had microphones so all in the chambers could hear what they were discussing.

A few months ago, Council President Joseph Cannon moved the work sessions to the back room because he believed council members felt more relaxed and able to discuss items in more depth than when they were sitting in the chambers and speaking into microphones.

“That room may be convenient, but it is not convenient to those of us out there,” Range said. “For the sake of transparency, come out here (in the chambers).”

Often, residents who have come to see the work session and meeting stay in their seats in the chambers because they are either not interested in the discussion or because there is often not room for them in the back room. Sometimes there is standing room only.

“I do appreciate what you are saying on the transparency,” Cannon told Range. “You can come in there (the back room).”

Range pointed out that in the chambers, council members have microphones, and if they don’t want to use them or they are not working (which has never occurred) they can learn to project their voices.

“I was trained by TVA and Frank Travis (current council member) as an actor,” Range said. “You can project. It (the discussion) needs to come out here (in the chambers). I needed to hear something about the sidewalk (dining ordinance), so I showed up at 4:30 or 5 p.m. I’m not going to crowd in that (back) room. We have mikes and we have people who show up early, and if you guys are having business, it needs to be out here in the open.”

Cannon said, “The conversation (in the back room) is a lot more candid with the council. We take a little longer.”