SAVANNAH, Ga. () – Thursday night was supposed to be the last of three required public hearings when it comes to Savannah city leaders considering a homestead exemption.

Those plans were thwarted after a few last minute disruptions.

The public was denied access by building security at the Eli Whitney Administrative Complex to the 6 p.m. hearing as Mayor Van Johnson was hitting the gavel.

“I’m a first time homeowner, and I came because I wanted to see what this was all about,” a homeowner, who chose not to give her name, told News 3. “They wouldn’t let us in. The security guards wouldn’t let us in, so we stood out here for about 30 minutes.”

The public’s denial was not at the behest of city leaders; it was a mistake made by security guards as a result of some sort of miscommunication.

“That’s all it was a miscommunication,” said District 2 Alderman Detric Leggett, “Because at the end of the meeting we gave three 1, 2, 3’s if anybody would like to say anything, and heard nothing, but to have that many people outside, we have to do better.”

Mayor Johnson and council members apologized for the mistake. Still, the approximate 20 people who showed up were upset they did not get to speak on the homestead exemption issue.

“They were pissed off standing out here,” said the homeowner, “It was raining. People made an effort. I came from Wilmington Island. People made an effort to get here in bad weather, and this is how we were treated.”

Additionally, Alderman Leggett said city leaders just received new information about the homestead exemption process tonight, and they will need to schedule three more additional public hearings regardless.

“That’ll be it,” said Alderman Leggett, “That’ll be our opportunity for the public to get in and have the opportunity to speak, where they’ll get more information, and those will be our last three before we make the vote.”

The final three public hearings regarding the homestead exemption will happen at the next Savannah City Council meeting on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 2, 4:30, and 6 p.m. The deadline to make a decision about the homestead exemption is still March 1.