LISTEN: Morey Voices Concerns on Public Comment Rules

CREST HAVEN – Cape May County Commissioner Will Morey raised questions this week about the public comment rules enacted by the commissioners at their Feb. 11 meeting, saying he didn’t want to give the impression the board was stifling residents’ speech.

Listen to an audio clip from the March 25 meeting here:

Morey said at the commissioners’ March 25 meeting that the restriction on clapping, for example, might seem out of place if the board was honoring first responders.

Commissioner Director Leonard Desiderio said no one would object to such clapping, adding, “We just clapped for the Veterans Cemetery Committee.”

“We are just trying to keep order,” he said.

Desiderio also referred to the singing of “Happy Birthday,” which is done on occasion in the commissioners meeting room. He said these kinds of interruptions, per se, are not going to be prohibited but added that recent meetings were difficult to conduct.

The director said on Feb. 11 that speakers could forfeit their time at the podium if their “comments are repetitive, truculent, slanderous, violate an individual’s privacy, or are done in a manner that interrupts the fair and efficient operation of the meeting.”

He said the commissioners did not want to hear booing, clapping or cheering in the meeting room, and the resolution on public comment says such behavior “is prohibited.”

At the Feb. 11 meeting, a Wildwood Crest resident had a cellphone on speaker and background noise on the other end was distracting. The resident also attempted to have his wife give public comment through the telephone, which was not allowed.

Desiderio referred to such behavior as part of the reason the rules were enacted.

The commissioners also had a digital clock installed on the dais to show speakers when their five minutes of speaking time were up. Some members of the public were attempting to assign their time to others. Recently, speakers have been addressing topics not within the purview of the commissioners.

Morey said he thought the board should be careful in restricting speech.

Desiderio, however, said the last meeting was “great” and no speaker exceeded the five-minute time limit. He also said he was hearing from citizens who suggested he use the gavel to rein in some people.

Again, Morey asked how the rules were going to be applied. He said if a speaker happened to repeat himself or herself, would they then be disqualified from continuing?

“Perhaps we should make a few adjustments,” he said.

Vice-director Andy Bulakowski said the intention was to get people to be respectful of the board, and in return the commissioners would show the speakers respect. Commissioner Bobby Barr said the commissioners would not respect personal attacks or people “trying to create a clown show.”

The rules are read before each public comment period begins.

Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.