ROCKLAND, Maine — The debate over whether the city’s pay-per-bag trash disposal law should be repealed escalated to sharp words during Monday night’s City Council meeting when the mayor ruled that speakers could not illustrate their points with poster-sized photographs.
Opponents of the pay-per-bag law had brought the photographs to show what they said were examples of the lack of oversight at the dump.
Several residents have come to each council meeting since the pay-per bag law was proposed in May and then adopted by the council to criticize past council decisions related to the dump as well as what they said has been poor management of it. At Monday night’s meeting, city officials responded which led to some pointed exchanges.
David Myslabodski said the mayor’s decision to refuse to allow speakers to show the photos at the meeting was because the city did not want the public to see what is going on there.
The council meetings are broadcast live and then repeated on the local government access channel on the cable television lineup.
Absentee ballots are already available for the Nov. 4 election that includes the proposed repeal of the mandatory pay-per bag trash disposal law adopted by the council in July.
Opponents quickly gathered 700 signatures on a petition to force the repeal referendum. The opponents say before pay-per-bag is imposed that the city needs to educate and enforce mandatory recycling.
Mayor Larry Pritchett said there was no benefit to having large poster boards displayed by speakers.
Councilor Elizabeth Dickerson asked the council to overrule the mayor’s decision and waive a council rule that prohibits signs or placards being used by speakers at meetings. The council voted 3-2 to waive the rule, but since another council directive requires four votes to waive rules, the mayor’s decision was upheld. Isganitis sided with Pritchett to oppose allowing the pictures to be shown.
Resident Sandra Schramm criticized the ban on citizens being allowed to show photos.
“I’m dismayed and overwhelmed by the censorship,” she said.
“It is in not censorship to limit the time people may speak or define the format in which information is provided to the board, council or committee,” Pritchett said Tuesday in defense of his decision not to allow speakers to hold signs.
The mayor said the Maine Legislature specifies how long someone can speak and the specific format that materials may be given to committees, down to size and number of copies.
At Monday night’s meeting, Councilor Frank Isganitis also questioned another speaker, former Councilor Adele Grossman Faber, about why the photographs were not given to the city when they were taken about three weeks ago rather than presented to the council that night.
“Is she trying to grandstand on the subject matter or is she truly trying to help move the city forward?” Isganitis asked.
When Isganitis questioned another speaker, Sandra Schramm, about why the information was not brought up earlier, Schramm said she should not have to be questioned by a councilor when she is speaking during the public comment session of a meeting.
“Are you trying to be argumentative with me?” Schramm asked.
Pritchett said he is not aware of posters being used at past council meetings, a point that Faber disputed. She said she presented posters during debates on tree trimming and resident parking.
“There is nothing controversial about pictures of the dump. They are what they are,” Faber said.
Pritchett said in a council/city manager form of government such problems should be brought to the administration. Faber said this has not helped in the past.