who chooses the comments? look at how polarized people are.  every group will feel their cause is as just and valid as the people who are  chosen to speak.  everyone deserves their say. even if it's just to express frustration and vent a bit. so the council spends 2 1/2 hours listening to people vent. if the council has a problem listening to the people they represent,  i'd say too bad.  how many of them said to people while campaigning,  that they really wanted to SERVE us.  us, the people who elected them to an office that THEY ASKED FOR and spent many hours to attain. 
    it's not like the city is running smoothly ... there's plenty of messes to irritate us.  maybe the council holds just public forums, with an open agenda for the public to give input. limit a reasonable time with a bell or something for the speakers.  maybe then the actual meetings can be about actual city business. but cutting off the voices of those you are supposed to represent is a poor solution.