Peekskill Residents Livid About No Clapping Rule At City Council Meetings

[The Northerner]

PEEKSKILL, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — Want to get yourself thrown out of a Peekskill City Council meeting? Start clapping.

After a series of boisterous meetings, Mayor Mary Foster is trying to bring decorum back to the chamber by banning clapping.

“We’ve had to end meetings because the disruptions just became too unruly,” Foster said.

However, critics of the measure spoke with 1010 WINS’ Al Jones and said they felt like they were being treated like kindergarteners.

Read more: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/09/27/peekskill-residents-livid-about-no-clapping-rule-at-city-council-meetings/

[JVS]

1. Critics should STFU. The meetings need to happen in a reasonable amount of time.

[SwissTony]

2. Helps if you actually read what's posted

“If that was the only incident, it would be very different. But we’ve been receiving that kind of treatment consistently and this is just one little piece of that puzzle,” Jim Adler said.

Adler said the mayor and council are trying to silence anyone who doesn’t agree and he’s not happy about it.

[JVS]

3. I did read it. Just because it's his opinion doesn't make it the final assessment of the situation.

[BeyondGeography]

4. And clapping is such a time-consumer

:silly:

[Javaman]

5. If you're happy and you know it...nt

[Ohio Joe]

6. I used to go to Peekskill a lot when I was a kid

A friends family had a small cabin across the street from the lake. In the summer we would go swimming and fishing, and in the winter we would go up to watch the motorcycle racing on the frozen lake. ahhh, good times :D

It does not seem right to quiet people at town meetings, I do not like the idea of doing this.

[calendargirl]

7. Mrs. Garrett and Tootie should've kept their applause to themselves. nt

[Hotler]

8. My city council doesn't like clapping either.

We do it anyway. The clapping only comes when citizens stand up to council. Our city council takes its marching orders from the National league of Cities. I wonder if Peekskill N.Y gets theirs from the same place.

[lumberjack_jeff]

9. In my experience, city council meetings are generally decorous.

Generally the audience is supportive of an orderly meeting.

If they're not? Then yes, it's time to treat them like kindergarteners. Naptime, people. Heads down on your desks.

[joeybee12]

10. Maybe it's the council members acting like children...

and the audience members are letting them know it's not acceptable.

[lumberjack_jeff]

11. Then they need new councilpeople.

I'm sorry, but that's the way it has to work. The audience doesn't run the meeting.

Get recognized by the chair, stand up, speak your piece then sit down. Lather, rinse, repeat. Grandstanding for the crowd is a huge time-waster.