How to speak at a Berks County commissioners meeting
When and where the Berks County commissioners meet, how to watch online, the exact public-comment rules, and how to find agendas and minutes.
To speak at a Berks County commissioners meeting, show up Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Berks County Services Center, 633 Court Street, Reading, or join through the Microsoft Teams link posted with each agenda. State your first name, last name, municipality, and topic; each speaker gets up to three minutes, and the whole comment period is capped at 30 minutes.
The three commissioners decide how $690 million gets spent at these meetings, which typically run about an hour. Some weeks are canceled around holidays, so check the county meetings page before going.
How to comment, step by step
- Check the agenda first. It posts on the county meetings page before each meeting as a PDF. Resolutions are numbered (for example, "209.2026"); referencing the number makes your comment easy to follow.
- Choose in person or online. In person: arrive by 9:45 at 633 Court Street. Online: open the Teams link posted with the agenda.
- When public comment opens, give your first name, last name, municipality, and the topic you want to address. Comments without them will not be considered.
- Make your one comment. In-person speakers go first. Online comments go through the Teams Q&A box and are read aloud by staff.
- Keep it short. Each speaker is allotted three minutes, and the entire period, in person and online combined, is capped at 30 minutes. Comments must be germane to county business, with the county solicitor as the referee.
- Do not expect a reply. The policy states comments are not interactive dialogue. Commissioners respond only if they choose to.
Watching without attending
- Live: meetings are hybrid via Microsoft Teams; the link posts with each agenda. Some meetings, like July 2, 2026, are held entirely online.
- TV and replay: BCTV airs the commissioners meetings on its community channels and website.
- Reading instead: we publish a preview and recap of every meeting.
Agendas, minutes, and the money
Agendas post before each meeting. Minutes are approved at the next meeting and archived on the Berks County Data Hub. Weekly contract listings, where much of the real money moves, are referenced in the agenda but not attached; request them from the county if you want the detail.
The commissioners also sit as the Election Board, the Prison Board (which oversees the jail and the new-jail project), and the Retirement Board, each with its own public meetings on the county calendar. Prefer writing? Each commissioner has a contact form on the commissioners page. For background on what the board controls, start with how Berks County government works.
FAQ
Do I need to sign up in advance to speak?
No advance sign-up is required. Show up (or join the Teams session), and when comment opens, provide your first name, last name, and municipality.
How long can I speak?
The county allots each speaker three minutes and caps the entire comment period at 30 minutes for all speakers combined, in person and online. When many people want to speak, that 30-minute cap can end the period before everyone is reached, so brevity protects the next person's chance.
Can I comment without going to Reading?
Yes. Join the Microsoft Teams session linked from the agenda and submit your comment through the Q&A function. Staff read online comments aloud after in-person speakers finish.
Will the commissioners answer my question?
Not necessarily. The meeting notice says comments should not be considered interactive dialogue, and any response is at the commissioners' discretion. For an answer, use the contact forms on the county site.
Where do I find what was decided?
Minutes post to the county's open-data portal after approval at the following meeting, and our meeting recaps summarize each session with sources linked.