Edison council rethinks shortening public comment … again

EDISON – The Township Council is again looking to limit to four minutes the amount of time residents are permitted to speak at meetings, while also eliminating rebuttal comments and establishing additional rules to maintain decorum.
The ordinances were discussed Wednesday, with public hearings on the proposals scheduled for the Nov. 25 meeting.
Under one ordinance, members of the public will be limited to four minutes to speak with no rebuttal, and they can only speak once during the time of the meeting allotted for each category of business. Statements are to be addressed to the council president.
Currently, residents have six minutes to address the council. Residents have voiced opposition to the shorter speaking time and said it seems the council doesn’t want to hear what taxpayers have to say.
Council Vice President Margot Harris, and Councilmen Richard Brescher and Ajay Patil voted against the scheduled Nov. 25 public hearing and adoption of the ordinance. Harris had unsuccessfully tried to move the public hearing to the Dec. 11 meeting, because she will not be able to attend the council meeting later this month.
Council President Nishith Patel, however, said it was time to move forward since the ordinance has been discussed several times and a subcommittee was formed in September when the proposal was tabled.
And if the ordinance is approved at the Nov. 25 meeting, Brescher, who plans to run for mayor next year, said he will look to restore the public’s time in the future.
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Resident Ron Loeffler asked how much time the council expected to save by cutting residents speaking time from six to four minutes.
Patel said the change is not about saving time, but being focused since often when a large crowd shows up to speak, they repeat comments made by others.
A separate proposed ordinance, which also has a Nov. 25 public hearing, adds a decorum section in which Township Council meetings are to be conducted in an orderly manner to ensure that the public has an opportunity to be heard and that the deliberative process is retained at all times. The council president or presiding officer shall be responsible for maintaining the order and decorum of the meetings.
The ordinance also states the police chief or the chief’s designee shall be sergeant at arms of the council meetings and shall carry out all orders and instructions given by the presiding officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the council meetings.
Both Harris and Brescher voted against the ordinance introduction. Harris anticipates the ordinance will result in costly lawsuits for the township and instead suggested the governing body rely on Robert’s Rules of Order. Brescher sees the ordinance as trying to limit residents’ rights.
But Patel, the council president, said the ordinance is about clarifying the rules to conduct meetings to get things done and have a good dialogue.
This ordinance also sets rules for addressing the council such as first being recognized by the council president before stepping to the podium to give their name and address and any organization represented, as well as identifying the issue to be discussed. Children under age 18 are required to give their last name or address.
Each person will be required to address the council in an orderly manner. Anyone who uses offensive or abusive language, makes a physically threatening remark, or disrupts, disturbs or impedes the orderly conduct to the meeting will be asked by the council president, presiding officer or majority of council to refrain from the conduct and receive a warning, the ordinance states.
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If the conduct persists, the person will forfeit their remaining time to speak and will be required to leave the podium. If the person fails to leave the podium and continues disrupting the meeting, the person may be ordered to leave the meeting, according to the ordinance.
And if the person does not leave the meeting, the council president or presiding officer may order the sergeant at arms to have the person removed from the council chambers, the ordinance states.
According to the ordinance, activities that are considered disruptive include, loud, physically threatening, abusive, or excessively vulgar language; speaking without being first recognized by the chair, or attempting to address the council outside of the permitted periods for public comment; wearing costumes or non-medically necessary masks while addressing the council; using props while addressing the council or comments, performances or other behavior intended to cause disruption.
If a meeting is disturbed to the point where order cannot be restored, the meeting can be adjourned or continued by the council president, or a majority of the council members and any remaining business will be considered at the next meeting.
A third proposed ordinance at Wednesday’s meeting addressed the order of business for combined work sessions and regular sessions when those meetings are held on the same day, sometimes due to a holiday during a week when the meetings are scheduled.
Brescher voted against the introduction, noting the combined meeting eliminates two opportunities for the public to speak.
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Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.