A few years ago, during a Select Board meeting, a man was intent upon airing his opinion and getting on the record. Very smart, well-educated, and focused, he was also quite hard of hearing. He had written out his remarks and was looking down at his paper. Perhaps he went on too long or perhaps his remarks were not welcome. In any case, the Chair picked up the gavel and asked for silence.
Please understand that invitation to speak for two minutes or three is a local preference. However, the Chair also has the power of the law. If a Chair asks someone to be quiet, that person must stop talking.
The gentleman, eyes on his paper, intent upon his remarks, went on even though the Chair had rapped the gavel. Unaware that he could not hear the Chair, he appeared to be ignoring her. The Chair gaveled again, and when seemingly ignored a third time, instructed the administrator to call the police to have the man removed.
Remember, the Chair has the power of the law. There is no reason to set time limits. We can trust our neighbors to know “that the mind can absorb no more than the seat can endure” and keep their remarks brief or the Chair has complete control without arbitrary rules.
You know, those pronouncements about time limits make folks feel bad – as if they are not welcome and as if the podium does not want to hear from the floor.
The man went on unfazed because he never heard a word.
Meanwhile – in the back of the room a man shouted out – “let him talk.”
Another man told the first man to shut up. They stood up and faced off, civility forgotten, when…the policeman walked in. Certain of his duty, the policeman asked the two men to leave and followed them out into the hallway.
The man at the podium continued delivering his remarks utterly unaware. The Chair was flummoxed and therefore silent.
When the man sat down next to me, he asked “Could everyone hear me?”
When I burst out laughing, he asked, “did I miss something?”
See the fun you miss when you do not attend meetings?
From the agenda for a recent Select Board (SB) meeting: “Administrative or operational issues that need discussion/decision-making. Public Input by the public will be limited to three (3) minutes per agenda item. Total time will be ten (10) minutes that may be extended by the chair.”
Recently the SB appeared to suggest extending the two minute limit to three. It is a step in the right direction, but the proper sentiment would be mutual respect. My goodness, wouldn’t it be nice if we just trusted our neighbors to limit themselves out of mutual respect, and our neighbors would come to the point, make it, and sit down out of mutual respect for us? If we want people to come, to engage in their government, then we should make it warmer and more welcoming – it is already amusing.