Barre restricts residents’ free speech at board meetings
Editor:
Well, they’re at it again. At our last Barre Town Board meeting the attacks on free speech continued with the directive from Supervisor Pogue.
Without a vote of the board he dictated a new rule to make it very difficult for any town resident to speak freely. His dictate is this: From now on if you wish to address the Town Board you will have to leave me a voicemail Tuesday before the meeting, and along with that he will no longer allow you to be on a list of speakers for an extended period.
Barre is limiting the number of speakers to just 10 people. Gee, Mr. Pogue, what if someone has an ongoing issue, or what if someone needs help? Will you deny them the opportunity to air their grievances unless you approve?
Well sir, I’ll inform you that we in America have what’s called the First Amendment. When you continue to allow the same person from our Planning Board to stand up and stump for Heritage Wind but not allow the people to respond, you have just committed another act of malfeasance.
You are free to be silent in Barre.
John Metzler
Barre
