Forum speakers must be courteous

By MaryHelen Swanson
If Chisago County citizens want to speak at the county board meetings, they will have to say their piece in a professional, courteous manner and refrain from use of profanity.
And everyone will have two minutes to speak their mind; they canít be cut off, and canít be given more time.
This directive on citizen forum policy, as prepared by Assistant County Attorney Ted Alliegro, was acted upon by the county board last week. Board Chairman Ben Montzka had asked the attorneyís office to determine what regulations, consistent with the First Amendment, may be placed on speakers at the boardís citizen forum.
At a recent meeting a citizen speaker was cut short by a county commissioner when the speaker began to badmouth the editor of a local paper who was not in attendance at the meeting.
In a memo to the board, Alliegro reminded the commissioners that there is no statutory requirement mandating that the public be allowed to speak at a regular meeting.
When the citizen forum was created a few years ago, the only regulation was a two-minute limit, he noted.
Alliegro advised that the board should not to try to set a policy that would regulate what a citizen may say.
He pointed out that there are criminal laws that address threatening words and behavior (terroristic threats, assault and disorderly conduct).
He assured the commissioners that if citizens conduct themselves in a way that is in violation of a criminal law, the fact that they have done it at a board meeting citizen forum will not protect them from prosecution.
That goes for those who choose to slander someone, also, Alliegro said.
Alliegro also stressed that the board is in no way obligated to respond to a speaker.
Language added at the meeting to the attorneyís recommendation said ìfailure to abide by this policy may result in the loss of privilege to speak that night.î
In other business at last weekís board meeting, the commissioners:
ï Heard a report from Barb Chaffee from Central Minnesota Jobs and Training who noted that the agency was hit hard by the state budget process.
In fact, 16 people have had to be laid off and this at an agency that helps other people find jobs. Chaffee also noted that they are serving double the clients as in the past. The North Branch office will be closed, staff will be sent to the Cambridge office.
ï Officially adopted a resolution rezoning land owned by Jerry Koran in Shafer Township from Agricultural to Protection and Transfer (PAT) consistent with the transfer of development rights ordinance.
ï Approved planning commission actions including a conditional use permit for Bauerly Brothers to mine gravel at the Williams property in Sunrise Township. The approval (4-1, Commissioner Lora Walker opposed), came with 10 stipulations including a 30 mph speed limit for the Bauerly trucks, limiting hours of operations to 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and that the mining be done between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31, with a maximum of three weeks total mining and hauling.
It is anticipated there will be up to 150 trucks hauling per day.
ï Was informed that the public hearing on the County Road 17 interchange had been cancelled.
ï Postponed until Sept. 17 action on an agreement with Xcel Energy to replace power poles on County Road 37. Cost to the county could be close to three quarters of a million dollars.
Board members do not believe the county should have to pay for Xcelís upgraded power lines, although Xcel is saying they had to replace the poles because of the countyís road improvement project.

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