Smithtown Limits Public Comment At Board Meetings To 3 Minutes

SMITHTOWN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Officials in one town on Long Island claim vitriol has forced them to impose new rules on speech at their meetings.

Recent board meetings in Smithtown have been so disruptive and vitriolic, say officials, that the town board has decided to limit public comment to no more than three minutes, WCBS 880's Mike Xirinachs reported.

Anyone using slanderous or insulting language can be tossed under a new code.

Resident Bob Mackie is convinced this isn't the last we'll hear of this discussion.

"I think they're trying to shut up a lot of people and they're going to try to make sure that they have their way," Mackie said. "They're going to try to stop Freedom of Speech and somebody's going to take them to court and they're going to lose."

"I think it's too controlling, I don't think they're going to be able to put it through," Mackie added. "But they'll try, I don't think they'll succeed."

But there are others who agree something has to be done because the atmosphere has become too nasty.

"It sounds like a good rule, sometimes you need a heavy hand," another resident said.

Town officials say the new rules will help free meetings of politics.