Board considers limits on public participation

PARIS — New ground rules are in the works for the public comments period at Paris Selectmen meetings.

Board members discussed the changes with Town Manager Amy Bernard and Geoff Hole, an attorney from Bernstein Shur law firm, during their Monday meeting.

In a supporting memo accompanying Monday's meeting agenda Bernard noted that in the two Paris meetings she had attended, public comments lasted longer than the business meeting.

"The board and citizens need to remember the meeting is a business meeting and not a public hearing," Bernard wrote.

During the Monday meeting, Selectman Robert Wessels told members of the public he requested the agenda item.

There was no intention to limit people's ability to raise concerns, Wessels said, but he wanted to make sure the meetings remained respectful and professional.

A major complaint he heard from citizens during his campaign for selectboard was the unprofessional conduct at meetings, on the part of board members and citizens, he said.

"Citizens won't always agree, we don't expect them to," Wessels said.

He said differences in opinion needed to be expressed without personal attacks and inappropriate language. 

During the meeting, Bernard asked Hole if there were ways the board could legally limit the comment section, which is required under Paris bylaw.

According to Hole, placing limits on public comments was permissible.

Many towns allowed citizens to speak for a defined period of time and board members could vote to extend it, Hole said. The board could also limit the number of comments made about the same topic. 

"You don't need to hear from 20 people that the road out of town is icy if one person or two or three can make the point," Hole said.

Board members voted to have Bernard and Board Chair Sam Elliot come up with guidelines for consideration at the next meeting.

In the supporting memo Bernard suggested limiting the frequency of individual's comments to once a meeting for five minutes and preventing citizens from discussing personnel matters during public comments.