The proposed ordinance would clarify Council offers members of the public two opportunities to comment during meetings and, as is already established in County code, the chair can limit comment times.
Several residents raised concerns over the potential changes even though Councilmembers voted to table the ordinance for now.
New Castle County resident Shannon Tiberi drove to attend the meeting after listening remotely for 30 minutes.
“There are changes fundamentally to what we're able to say, what we can and can't say, when we're able to say it,” Tiberi said. “So, I just want to be very clear there, and I do appreciate Mr. Smiley for tabling for now, having more dialog on that, because I think there is merit to the ordinance. I think we need some more clarity around the public comments portion.”
Council rules currently allow presiding chairs to set “reasonable time limits” on public comments.
If passed, the proposed ordinance lays out that commenters can speak on legislation when it is being considered – and clarifies public comment near the end of the meeting is for general comments, not remarks on specific legislation.
County resident Henry Miller spoke at Tuesday’s Council meeting and called the ordinance an attempt to limit free speech.
“I mean, there are rules,” Miller said. “And now we got [Ordinance 26-110] that wants to limit our speech. I have a real problem with that. Yes, it does, Mr. Smiley. You're not going to let me talk on something that has been voted on earlier in the evening, and that limits my speech. You might not like it, but everybody needs to hear it.”
The ordinance clarifies that the presiding chair has the option to set reasonable time limits as long as they’re applied uniformly.
