Proposed St. Augustine Beach public comment restrictions violating First Amendment

St. Augustine Record thumbs and quotes on proposed St. Augustine Beach public comment restrictions violating First Amendment:

“The efficiency, the effectiveness of our meetings has deteriorated in the past several months.”

— St. Augustine Beach Commissioners [Sherman] Gary Snodgrass, speaking in a story about the commission’s attempt to streamline meeting by limiting the length of individual public comment.



“If it is going to be so controlled and so leashed and throttled, then why have the public? Just go ahead and meet on your own. Lock the doors. … You don’t really need any participation if you’re going to ask for only [those] issues that kind of work in your behalf.”

— Beach resident Ann Palmquist, voicing concern over a proposed resolution by Beach Commissioners aimed a limiting the duration of public comment during meetings.