Riverhead officials consider sign ban, barring Zoom comments at Town Hall meetings
Signs like these, at a Riverhead Town meeting in September, could soon be banned. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
Attendees at Riverhead Town Hall meetings could be barred from carrying signs and commenting via Zoom, and limited to three minutes of commentary under new policies town lawmakers are considering.
Town attorney Erik Howard recently introduced the proposal to address “decorum” at public meetings while speeding them up and giving more people the chance to speak their minds. Some residents have criticized aspects of the proposal, saying it could hinder public participation.
Signs, posters and banners, which Howard referred to as a “distraction,” would not be allowed in the Town Hall meeting room under the new rules.
Handmade signs expressing opinions have become commonplace at town meetings with hot-button topics on the agenda, from a controversial $40 million town land deal to a proposal to allow agritourism resorts on Sound Avenue.
The Suffolk County Legislature recently banned signs after demonstrators held signs referencing national issues including the war in Gaza, Newsday reported last month. Brookhaven Town has similar measures in place.
“It’s not even the signs, it’s that somebody holds something up and then the person behind them can’t see what’s going on in front of them,” Councilman Ken Rothwell said at a town meeting Jan. 30.
The sign ban would only apply to the meeting room, not outside, officials said.
Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said the board plans to vote on the new rules at the next town meeting on Feb. 19.
Currently, members of the public have five minutes each to speak about specific resolutions up for a vote that day, or on any other topic. The new rules would instead allot three minutes per speaker and prohibit commentary from Zoom participants, instead requiring them to appear in person or submit letters to the town clerk.
Officials said the videoconferencing app would still be allowed during public hearings on specific issues.
Kathy McGraw, of Northville, who regularly addresses the board over Zoom, urged officials to reconsider at a meeting Tuesday.
“If folks care enough to participate, even when unable to be at your meetings, why would you want to deny them the opportunity to speak using this technology?” McGraw said, adding the town should be a “leader” rather than follow what other towns have done. “Show the other towns and the people of Riverhead that you want to hear from your constituents.”
Christen Smith, an attorney at the New York State Committee on Open Government, said in an email Wednesday that public bodies can set reasonable rules for meetings.
“Whether a restriction on signs, banners, or posters is reasonable depends on the extent to which those items will create a disruption of or distraction from the meeting,” Smith said.
The state’s Open Meetings Law does not require municipalities to accept public comment at meetings.
Boards are not required to take public comment through online platforms such as Zoom unless a member “experiences an extraordinary circumstance and attends remotely,” Smith said. Then, the board must also accept remote comments.
Riverhead’s draft policy also spells out rules for “decorum,” including prohibiting “partisan political commentary,” personal or profane remarks directed at both town officials and members of the public.
Disruptions could result in a warning and ultimately, removal from the meeting.
Town officials said high numbers of speakers have deterred others from commenting. Some residents have walked out of meetings, unable to wait two or more hours to approach the microphone.
Hubbard said that often, comments become repetitive, which “doesn’t serve anybody” and said the new limits are sufficient.
“Three minutes will let you get directly to your point, we get to understand it and we can move on to the next speaker,” he said.
Attendees at Riverhead Town Hall meetings could be barred from carrying signs and commenting via Zoom, and limited to three minutes of commentary under new policies town lawmakers are considering.
Town attorney Erik Howard recently introduced the proposal to address “decorum” at public meetings while speeding them up and giving more people the chance to speak their minds. Some residents have criticized aspects of the proposal, saying it could hinder public participation.
Signs, posters and banners, which Howard referred to as a “distraction,” would not be allowed in the Town Hall meeting room under the new rules.
Handmade signs expressing opinions have become commonplace at town meetings with hot-button topics on the agenda, from a controversial $40 million town land deal to a proposal to allow agritourism resorts on Sound Avenue.
The Suffolk County Legislature recently banned signs after demonstrators held signs referencing national issues including the war in Gaza, Newsday reported last month. Brookhaven Town has similar measures in place.
“It’s not even the signs, it’s that somebody holds something up and then the person behind them can’t see what’s going on in front of them,” Councilman Ken Rothwell said at a town meeting Jan. 30.
The sign ban would only apply to the meeting room, not outside, officials said.
Town Supervisor Tim Hubbard said the board plans to vote on the new rules at the next town meeting on Feb. 19.
Currently, members of the public have five minutes each to speak about specific resolutions up for a vote that day, or on any other topic. The new rules would instead allot three minutes per speaker and prohibit commentary from Zoom participants, instead requiring them to appear in person or submit letters to the town clerk.
Officials said the videoconferencing app would still be allowed during public hearings on specific issues.
Kathy McGraw, of Northville, who regularly addresses the board over Zoom, urged officials to reconsider at a meeting Tuesday.
“If folks care enough to participate, even when unable to be at your meetings, why would you want to deny them the opportunity to speak using this technology?” McGraw said, adding the town should be a “leader” rather than follow what other towns have done. “Show the other towns and the people of Riverhead that you want to hear from your constituents.”
Christen Smith, an attorney at the New York State Committee on Open Government, said in an email Wednesday that public bodies can set reasonable rules for meetings.
“Whether a restriction on signs, banners, or posters is reasonable depends on the extent to which those items will create a disruption of or distraction from the meeting,” Smith said.
The state’s Open Meetings Law does not require municipalities to accept public comment at meetings.
Boards are not required to take public comment through online platforms such as Zoom unless a member “experiences an extraordinary circumstance and attends remotely,” Smith said. Then, the board must also accept remote comments.
Riverhead’s draft policy also spells out rules for “decorum,” including prohibiting “partisan political commentary,” personal or profane remarks directed at both town officials and members of the public.
Disruptions could result in a warning and ultimately, removal from the meeting.
Town officials said high numbers of speakers have deterred others from commenting. Some residents have walked out of meetings, unable to wait two or more hours to approach the microphone.
Hubbard said that often, comments become repetitive, which “doesn’t serve anybody” and said the new limits are sufficient.
“Three minutes will let you get directly to your point, we get to understand it and we can move on to the next speaker,” he said.
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