Middletown council adopts strict rules of decorum after months of meeting disruptions

The Middletown Common Council on Jan. 9 unanimously approved a resolution establishing new rules of decorum for council meetings that ban signs in the chamber, require attendees to remain seated, limit public comment to three minutes and authorize police removal for repeated violations.

Council members said the measures were prompted by recurring disruptions at recent meetings. Alderman Johnson said the disruptions had reached the point where "the president had to clear the room," and described the behavior as "disruptive." Alderman Ray, the sponsor of the resolution, said the rules were needed to preserve orderly public meetings.

The rules, as read into the record by the council, bar signs in the council chamber, require attendees to be seated and keep doors and aisles unobstructed. Public comment tied to agenda items will be heard at the start of each meeting; speakers must give their name and address and are limited to three minutes. Non-agenda public comment is permitted only at the first council meeting each month, limited to 30 minutes overall and also requires name, address and a three-minute limit per speaker.

The resolution gives the presiding officer authority to warn violators and, if behavior continues, to request that Middletown Police remove the person. The read text states police may remove or arrest a person under city code or New York Penal Law if necessary. Corporation counsel told the council he had researched recent court decisions and believed the rules "conform with current court decisions on these issues." The council voted by roll call with Tobin, Jean Francois, Johnson, Ray, Kleiner, Green, Witt and President Rodriguez recorded as "Aye."

Supporters of the rules said they were necessary to allow the council to conduct regular city business. Several aldermen noted the repeated interruptions had prevented the council from focusing on other items they said deserved attention.

The resolution does not specify enforcement protocols beyond the presiding officer's authority and the police discretion noted in the text. The measure was introduced by Alderman Ray and seconded by Alderman Johnson; the vote was recorded as unanimous at the time of the meeting.

The council's adoption of the rules follows several weeks of public disruptions at meetings that council members described in their remarks during the same session. The new rules will take effect immediately as adopted by the Common Council.