Chariho committee refers public-forum policy to subcommittee after public criticism of time limits

A public complaint about time limits and how the chair handles debate prompted the Chariho Regional School Committee on Nov. 18 to send proposed changes to the district—s public-forum policy to its policy subcommittee for further drafting.

During the meeting—s public forum, a lone speaker, Mr. Abadesian, criticized agenda time limits and accused the chair of treating dissenting members and members of the public unfairly, saying putting "a time clock on free speech...serves 2 purposes" and alleging a pattern of interruptions and unequal treatment. The chair responded that the committee—s public-comment framework allows 30 minutes for public comment and explained the two-minute limit usually used when many speakers are signed up. Because only one speaker was present, the chair allowed Mr. Abadesian the full four minutes.

Vice Chair Laura Chapman and other members explained that their draft changes aim to update phrasing and reduce what they described as antiquated restrictions while preserving decorum. Some members urged sending the text to a smaller policy subcommittee and legal counsel for careful wording. "I had actually assumed that it was going to be moved to the policy subcommittee," Chapman said, describing her intent to broaden the language to allow people to "speak freely and voice their concerns."

After discussion, a motion to refer the item to the policy subcommittee passed on a unanimous voice vote. Members also agreed the subcommittee should circulate marked-up drafts in advance and that the district—s legal office would review any revisions.

Next steps: the policy subcommittee will draft precise language, submit it to legal review, and return a proposal to the full committee for a subsequent vote. The referral means the committee will not change the public-forum rules tonight but will consider a reworded policy after subcommittee work and legal review.