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.