Council approves South County Resistance use of town hall for May 4 rally; members raised permitting questions

The Richmond Town Council voted unanimously at its special meeting to approve a request from Christopher Kona on behalf of South County Resistance to hold a peaceful rally at Richmond Town Hall on May 4.

The motion, moved and seconded at the start of the public‑comment portion of the meeting, cited Richmond Code section 12.04.010 (public assembly) as the permitting authority. Council members Dinsmore, Madnick, Palmisciano, Reynolds and President Wilcox recorded “yes” in a roll‑call vote.

Why it matters: Councilors said the decision balances the First Amendment right to assemble with the town’s responsibility to ensure public safety. Residents attending the meeting asked whether the promoter had complied with notice, fees and other requirements that the town’s ordinance calls for when events are advertised online.

Resident concerns and staff response Alex McKendall, a Richmond resident, told the council he supports free speech but raised technical concerns about the application, noting a $50 administration fee, a 10‑day notice requirement and a 200‑foot abutter notice requirement in the town code that sometimes applies to public events. McKendall said the event had been advertised online several days before the council meeting and asked whether the promoter had filed all required notices.

Promoter Christopher Kona identified himself as the town Democratic committee chair but said the rally would not be a committee event. Kona said he had been working with town staff and Chief Johnson on logistics and that the group sought a place with more space than sidewalks to make the gathering safer. Kona requested permission to use Town Hall from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 4.

Solicitor Zangar told the council that town property is generally open and that the town’s liability exposure does not change simply because more people gather on town property; he recommended standard permit conditions to address parking, sanitation and public‑safety details when appropriate.

Council action The motion to approve the request referenced Richmond Code 12.04.010 and passed on a unanimous roll call: Councilor Dinsmore (yes); Councilor Madnick (yes); Councilor Palmisciano (yes); Councilor Reynolds (yes); President Wilcox (yes). Councilors also made clear that some event types require additional permits or conditions (for example, food trucks, amplified sound, or alcohol would trigger specific licensing and safety reviews).

Ending: The council approved the rally request but said staff would verify any additional permits or conditions required by the nature of the event and that public‑hearing rules for future ordinance changes would remain in effect.