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Huntsville council adopts written communications policy to guide handling of emails and comments
Summary
Council adopted Resolution 2025-11-20 establishing procedures for receiving, summarizing, and retaining written communications for meetings. Councilmember Artie Powell said the policy responds to a lawsuit risk when a special district refused to read profane comments in a meeting.
The Huntsville Town Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2025-11-20, a Written Communications Policy setting procedures for how emails, texts and letters from the public are handled at town meetings. The policy requires written comments submitted by noon the business day before a meeting be distributed to council and notes that written comments directly tied to agenda items be included in the public record; the policy permits the mayor to summarize or withhold reading content that is profane or discriminatory.
Councilmember Artie Powell said he drafted the policy after learning of a local special district circumstance in which refusing to read profane comments led to litigation risk; Powell told the council the policy aims to provide consistent procedures for the Town Council and Planning Commission. The measure passed on a roll-call vote, 5–0.
