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Residents and attorney urge changes to proposed decorum resolution; concerns raised about cell coverage
Summary
Public commenters at the Clifton Park meeting urged the board to delay or rewrite Resolution 13, calling terms such as 'disparaging' vague and requesting a formal appeals process; residents also expressed concerns about cell coverage and a proposed tower that staff said has not been formally submitted.
Several residents and a local attorney urged the Clifton Park Town Board on June 26 to delay or revise a proposed decorum measure identified in the meeting as Resolution 13, arguing that vague language could chill free speech at public meetings and that the board should provide a clear appeals process and more notice before voting.
A resident who spoke during the public-privilege portion asked the board to "hold this resolution until you have a public hearing, where people can have more than 24 hours or so to realize that it's gonna be voted on," and asked the town to replace vague terms such as "disparaging" with objective, clearly defined standards. The speaker also said the draft appears to lack a defined appeal process for decisions to remove or limit public remarks.
Joanne *****, a Clifton Park resident, told the board she values freedom of speech while urging speakers to remain relevant and respectful: "Keeping our comments relevant, hearing each other out, and choosing respect even when we disagree," she said, adding that civility helps the democratic process.
Bob Wilcox, who identified himself as a 50-year practicing attorney, said the measure’s use of words such as "disparaging" and "impertinent" is legally vague. "The words disparaging and impertinent are not definitive at all," he said, and he urged the board to provide clearer definitions to avoid arbitrary enforcement.
Residents also raised unrelated but contemporaneous concerns about cellular service. Mike Vendetti said poor coverage in parts of town had left neighbors unable to call for emergency help; he urged approval of additional towers and said the town’s informational meeting discussed potential tower locations. Chair (Speaker 4) and town staff (John) responded that no formal application had been submitted and that the town had only hosted an informational meeting; staff said one proposed location discussed was on the golf course and another in the Country Knolls area.
The public transcript contains no record of a board vote on Resolution 13 during the public comment period, and speakers requested additional time for public input and clearer, objective language before any adoption. The board did not announce a next-step schedule for the resolution in the segments provided.
