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Franklin council debates tightening citizen comment rules; residents warn of chilling effect
Summary
A resident urged the council to reject or amend a draft ordinance changing municipal code 19‑2(b), warning vague terms could be used to limit public input. Councilors debated registration for neighborhood representatives, strict 3‑minute limits, total meeting time caps and whether changes should require a supermajority.
Residents and councilors spent the bulk of Tuesday’s meeting debating proposed changes to municipal code 19‑2(b), the section that governs how citizen comment periods are run at Common Council meetings.
Linda Mathewig, who spoke during public comment, told the council she opposed the draft ordinance (agenda item G5). "This ordinance goes beyond decorum…It creates a process that makes public comment easier to limit, easier to manage, and easier to cut off," Mathewig said. "Public comment is not wasted time. It is democracy in its most basic form."
Mayor Nels…
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