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Residents push back on new public-comment warning; ask for transparency on redevelopment and large projects
Summary
At Millville City’s March 3 meeting, residents challenged a newly added cautionary statement warning against defamatory public comments and pressed commissioners for details about redevelopment extensions and an alleged $20 million project; the mayor and solicitor said the warning targets potentially libelous statements about private parties, not protected criticism of officials.
Mayor Dixon opened a March 3 meeting of the Millville City Board of Commissioners by reading a new cautionary statement advising speakers that abusive or defamatory remarks could carry civil liability under New Jersey law and asking commenters to keep remarks constructive. The statement was delivered by the city solicitor and repeated by the mayor as the public-comment period opened.
Several residents told commissioners they viewed the warning as a change in practice made without prior public notice and said it might chill lawful criticism. "The wording that has been added is threatening at best and misleading at least," said a resident during the agenda-only public-comment period, arguing that truth, opinion and criticism are generally protected speech and that defamation suits are permitted only in narrow circumstances.
Tim Cardi, who identified himself as a taxpayer and long-time meeting attendee,…
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