Saratoga Springs City Council meetings are under a new set of rules for the public comment period, and locals and activists are testing the mayor’s commitment.
Republican Mayor John Safford won November’s election on a campaign of returning civility to city hall. After feuds between former commissioners spilled into public and activists disrupted meetings, many voters in the Spa City saw the election as validating Safford calls for calm.
In the first official city council meeting of 2024, Safford announced a new set of expectations and rules aimed to prohibit “behaviors which disrupt the conduct of the meeting.” This includes clapping, whistling, yelling, other actions that could interrupt or delay the meetings or intimidate members of the council or others present.
At that meeting, Safford explained some of the changes.
“The rules are not much different than they’ve been in the past. We are going to implement 3 minutes [per person], we are going to limit the time to speak to 30 minutes. We are going to be quite strict about timing,” explained Safford.
Tuesday was the first meeting since the release of an Attorney General’s report outlining the intimidation and targeting of BLM protestors by former city officials. Safford’s commitment to balancing civility and civic engagement was tested.
BLM activists and Saratoga Springs residents packed city hall, going well over Safford’s 30-minute public comment period. Tracy Krosky’s 3 minutes were muddled by an onlooker.
“And how shameful for you to use people with no morals to do your dirty work. Nothing with get better until the city acknowledges the harm has been done. You know what, you silence people you don’t agree with, and you let people like this go on and on. And that’s going to be your legacy,” said Krosky.
Democratic Commissioner of Finance Minita Sangvhi spoke up when the disruptions continued, referring to Safford’s rules of decorum and order, copies of which were distributed along with the meeting’s agenda.
“Mr. Mayor, there seems to be a consistent effort from a member of the audience to intimidate people. I think it goes against your idea of civility; I believe it does. Can you please address—this gentleman here,” said Sanghvi.
While Safford did not directly address the man, the meeting continued.
Safford’s new rules also outline the role of a Segreant-at-Arms to maintain order. Safford never had to ask the on-hand officer to escort anyone from the meeting room, but several tense moments came close as BLM activists and members of the crowd continued to clash.
Later in the meeting, while the council was discussing a tolling agreement that would give the AG additional time to investigate the city’s mistreatment of protestors, another individual began interrupting the proceedings.
Second-term Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran responded.
“Sir, you have to deal with this, where’s the gavel, this is what the people are talking about,” said Moran.
“Just quiet down, Commissioner Moran go ahead,” said Safford.
“This needs to be addressed. You are inconsistently applying the rules that you set forward, and they’ve had enough of it,” said Moran.
“Just move ahead with your agenda,” said Safford.
“You aren’t going with the way you said you were going to operate these meetings, sir,” he said.
After the meeting, Safford said, according to New York’s Open Meeting Laws, the only thing he can enforce is the speaking time per person.
“It’s a very interesting problem to try and solve because, obviously, if they want to test where we’re at, that’s sort of what was happening tonight. The fact that they sat down, cooled the situation. But it was a little difficult tonight,” said Safford.
In 2023, BLM organizers faced minor charges for disrupting public hearings, which Safford and other councilors have said they want to avoid recurring.
