Councilors table proposal to cap individual debate time after committee discussion
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Summary
A proposal to limit the amount of time a councilor may speak during debate was debated but ultimately tabled by the Charter and Rules Committee pending further consideration of enforcement tools such as an on‑screen countdown clock.
The Charter and Rules Committee discussed a proposal to limit how long a councilor may speak during debate (the order originally proposed a 4‑minute cap; an amendment lowered the proposal to three-minute speaking segments) but voted to table the measure for additional study.
Councilor Devine introduced the order asking that "no councilor shall speak more than 4 minutes during debate" with procedural details (one‑minute reminder at three minutes). Councilors raised questions about enforcement and operational burden: Council President Tessa Murphy Ramalletti said she did not want the added responsibility of tracking speakers’ time, and several members recommended seeking a technical solution from Holyoke Media (an on‑screen countdown or visible timer) rather than assigning the task to staff.
Opponents argued the council’s existing 10:00 p.m. meeting‑end rule and other procedural norms had already improved meeting length and that a hard cap could have unintended effects on debate of complex matters. Proponents said time limits could improve fairness and give more members a chance to speak.
After discussion the committee voted to table the order; supporters and opponents agreed to consult with Holyoke Media and staff to determine whether a visible countdown or other automated tool could address enforcement concerns before bringing a new proposal forward.