Republican Leader Cancels Call-In Public Input

The Republican City Council leader, Ald. Daniel Salerno (R-AL) has announced an end to call-in public comments at Council meetings.

The City Council has been accepting public comments on city issues via a telephone call-in system, starting during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has included public comments during public hearings, as well as public participation sessions before City Council meetings.

But now the 9 to 6 majority Republican Council will only accept in-person public comments, Salerno says. Salerno says that, “effective August 1, 2021, all public participation sessions, public hearings and meetings will be held in-person.”

The Council’s Republican majority had earlier attempted to cut-off remote access for Council members to meetings, but reportedly backed down after Ald. Aram Ayalon (D-3) filed a Freedom of Information complaint against the policy.

As of recent weeks, the Council had required that public comment be remote. The new policy now appears to move in the opposite direction, removing call-in comments as an option for the public. However the public is to still be able to view streaming video of Council meetings at http://www.newbritainct.gov/meetings.

Salerno defends the decision, saying that, if all public comment are not made in the Council’s meeting room that, “it would be difficult to understand the needs of the community and to establish practices that would be of the best interest of all residents, businesses and other community groups,” in the city.