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Middletown trims public-comment time and clarifies residency rules
Summary
Council reduced individual public-comment time from four to three and a half minutes, cut total public comment time from 60 to 35 minutes, and removed a proposed documentation requirement; the policy change passed on a roll-call vote.
Middletown City Council voted on Tuesday to revise the city’s citizen comment policy, shortening individual speaker time and trimming the total allotment for public comment.
Under the revisions approved, individual public-comment time moves from four minutes to three and a half minutes per speaker and the total public-comment period at regular meetings is reduced from 60 minutes to 35 minutes. Council also clarified that speakers must state their address or interest for the record but removed a prior proposal that would have required documentary proof of residency; owners or representatives of businesses and nonprofits located in the city remain eligible to speak.
Council member discussion noted the prior practice of stating an address on the record and emphasized continuing the city’s openness to resident participation while managing meeting time. After a motion and second, the revised rules passed on a roll-call vote.
City staff said comment cards will be routed to the city manager after meetings so staff can assign follow-up as appropriate. The change takes immediate effect as adopted at the June 2 meeting.
