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Public commenters press county over new citizen-participation rules; commissioners reiterate decorum standards
Summary
Multiple speakers during the public-comment period told commissioners they object to recent refinements to citizen-participation rules and school-board public-comment changes. Commissioners emphasized order and explained legal grounds for limited, viewpoint-neutral restrictions.
At Tuesday’s Washington County commissioners meeting, several members of the public used the citizens-participation period to challenge recently adopted rules governing public comment and to urge preservation of First Amendment protections.
A presiding official opened the session by reading the revised rules and explaining they are intended to be viewpoint-neutral and aimed at preserving order so meetings can proceed. The presiding official said federal courts permit limited speech restrictions in a government-controlled limited public forum when rules prevent disruptions and…
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