BIDDEFORD — A move to decrease the amount of time the public has to address the City Council regarding orders, amendments or resolves failed when the motion failed to garner a two-third vote of the council on March 16.

Although the majority of the council voted to decrease the time limit from five minutes to three, votes to change Rules of the Council, such as the time limit, require a two-third vote approval rather than a simple majority.

The item, placed on the agenda at the request of Councilor Clement Fleurent, was first discussed on March 2.

It was tabled at that time because of questions about how the motion should be worded and what aspects of public comment would be affected.

The three minute limit would not have applied to the Public Addressing the Council portion of the meeting, during which residents and other individuals are allowed to speak for up to five minutes, said Fleurent.

“I think this is a bad idea,” said resident Richard Rhames about limiting the public’s time to speak.

Rhames, who is a frequent speaker at council meetings, questioned whether the order was directed against him.

“I understand that your time is as precious as anyone else’s,” Rhames told the councilors. However, he said, “I think it (the order) sends precisely the wrong message.”

Rhames said it is only when the council discusses major issues like shoreland zoning or the Maine Energy Recovery Company that public comment runs long.

Ordinarily, he said, there isn’t an overwhelming amount of public comment and council meetings don’t last overly long.

“I’m adamantly against this,” said Councilor George “Pete” Lamontagne. “We’re elected to serve the people. They’re in charge.”

“I think three minutes is adequate,” said Councilor Patricia Boston, who backed the measure.

Besides council meetings, there are other ways to get public input, she said, such as via e-mails, letters, telephone calls or in-person meetings.

“This is the meeting of the City Council,” said Boston when speaking in favor of the three-minute time limit. When public comment lasts long, “we’re cutting ourselves short from dialoging with each other,” she said.

Councilor David Bourque noted that at any meeting, the council could vote to suspend the rules to decrease the amount of time the public could speak if it appeared that there would be an excessive number of comments.

Councilor Rick Laverriere suggested the possibility of decreasing the time limit to three minutes if a council meeting, typically scheduled at 7 p.m., went past 9 p.m. and there were still more people waiting to speak.

“If we do it to the people,” said Councilor Raymond Gagnon about limiting speaking time, “we should do it to the council, too.”

Although Mayor Joanne Twomey couldn’t vote on the issue, she did pass her gavel so she could state her objections to the motion.

“This issue is dear to my heart,” said the mayor.

She noted that she had once been arrested at a council meeting when she was a private citizen and removed from council chambers in handcuffs when she was trying to speak during a discussion about Maine Energy.

“I would never, ever support anything that would suppress” the public’s right to speak, said Twomey.

“You work for these people,” she told the council, “and when you lose sight of who put you in this office you shouldn’t run again.”

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.