The Vernon Township Council president erred on April 22 and also violated the town’s code for public comment when he announced, “We are going to change how we handle this portion of the meeting.”
The council president asked that the public “restrict their comments to matters concerning the township or its welfare.”
There is no code or law that gives the council president authority to even attempt that change.
The council has apparently not learned from a prior intervention of the ACLU, which censored Vernon Mayor Sally Rinker and the council for stifling public comment and demanded an apology.
Council code specifies, “There will be a second period of public comment at the end of each council meeting. Speakers will be limited to five minutes where the public may speak on any topic.”
State statutes also affirm the public may discuss any topic. Perhaps it is time for the ACLU to revisit the council.
The ACLU says, “The public body cannot censor your speech during a public comment portion because it does not agree with you or like what you are saying. The public body also cannot prohibit comments based on subject matter so long as the comments relate to any issue that a member of the public feels may be of concern.”
Council members have stated that those comments were not directed at anyone specifically. At the prior meeting, I had referred to false statements a member of the public made to the council about a township matter.
A recent letter to the editor defended Councilman (Patrick) Rizzuto’s comment, saying, “Running a ‘tight ship’ will benefit all of the community.”
What is her definition of “a tight ship” regarding public comment? That writer has apparently not learned from the ACLU’s visit to our township either.
N.J.S.A. 10:4-12 states the public may comment “on any governmental issue that a member of the public feels may be of concern to residents of the municipality.”
First of all, my comment was about a township matter. Even if it wasn’t, it was not a comment the council could stifle.
Secondly, the last I checked the council is our governing body, and a false statement made at a council meeting is a governmental issue.
It is ridiculous for someone to even suggest the council could call for a “point of order” in an attempt to stifle such public comment.
Jessi Paladini
Vernon