To the editor:

Figured it was time for me to weigh in on the big issue of the three-minute time limit for public comment at the Commission meetings for those people who apparently don’t realize that they are attending a business meeting and not a public debate forum. If a person has a point to be made or a position on some matter, then three minutes is plenty of time. The speakers should just focus their thoughts, be concise and then say their piece. Why should the Commission members and members of the audience be subjected to endless rambling by a few persons with an army of political grievances? Very likely, anything beyond three minutes or so is probably not worth hearing.

Without a time limit for public comments, there would be no way to give the audience some relief from a few well-intended people who don’t mind dominating the meeting to harangue the commission members and promote their political views. If a few folks want to make a political speech, then they should hire a hall and invite the public, or perhaps write one of those full-page letters that seems to show up in TDB on a regular basis or get circulated via the Internet. At least with a political speech there is no captive audience that has to sit by as if they are interested.  And, if they were to write one of those interminable letters, when we get tired or bored we can just click “delete” and it’s gone.

So, my view is to keep the three-minute limit. And my suggestion (for what little it’s worth) to those people with various views on county business, just keep it short, forget the political gripes about tee shirts or whatever and make your point and then just sit down. Give your fellow Polk County citizens a break and do your politicking somewhere else.

 

Ted J Hiley

Tryon