Talk of the town will go on for now ... with some rules.

Byline: John Weeks

CLINTON - In an ironic twist to the political process, residents attended the Board of Selectmen meeting Wednesday night and took the opportunity for public comment to comment on the very institution of public comment.

At recent selectmen meetings, public comment has been denied by the board, creating speculation in town that public comment was destined for the dustbin of town history.

Wednesday night the board assured residents public comment is here to stay.

"I think it's important that we do have public comment," said Selectmen Chairman Kevin Haley. "I would like to ask the board that we limit it to five minutes per person."

Haley said residents who wished to discuss an issue for more than five minutes should have that specific discussion scheduled as an item on the meeting's agenda.

"Mike's door is always open," Haley said of Town Administrator Mike Ward, who puts together meeting agendas. "Submit something in writing, that way we will be prepared to have intelligent discussion."

Board members agreed to place the five minute limit for individuals on public comment.

"Anything longer than that should become an item on the agenda," Selectman Mary Rose Dickhaut said. "

"I commend the board for having public comment," said resident Gloria Parkinson. "To quote our third president, Thomas Jefferson, `A society that will trade a little liberty for order will lose both and deserves neither,'" Parkinson then utilized her five minutes to urge selectmen to take a hard look at renewable energy. She suggested Town Hall itself could be used as a "beta testing" location for the installation of new, cost-saving energy technology.

Parkinson was one of the residents who was not allowed to comment at a meeting last month in which selectmen discussed the purchase of the Rauscher property. The property has since been purchased, but at the time its fate was unclear and Parkinson, who had worked on the campaign to purchase the land, was upset when she was denied public comment.

Joyce Carpenter-Henderson was another Rauscher proponent who was also upset at the denial of public comment.

"There is a song from `Fiddler on the Roof' called `Tradition,'" she said Wednesday night during public comment. "Well, public comment has been a tradition in this town. Without it, a resident's thoughts remain private and unheard. Thank you for allowing public comment. Without public comment in recent weeks, I have heard many disparaging comments about the situation, to the effect that it's just business as usual in Clinton politics."

Haley pointed out that the meetings that went without public comment were very intense and busy and not the appropriate time for unchecked and indefinite public comment.

Following the meeting, residents quietly murmured their approval of the five-minute public comment policy.