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By Guy Page
A new Burlington City Hall Code of Conduct and Trespass Policy limits stays in many public areas to 10 minutes, unless present for explicitly-approved business.
The policy appears aimed at providing regulatry cover for reducing access to videocamera-toting citizen-journalists, who have recently been trespassed from City Hall.
The policy, posted July 21 by the City Clerk’s office, classifies prohibited behavior offenses into four levels (Class A to D), ranging from serious harm or drug possession (180-day trespass) to minor violations like unauthorized soliciting (24-hour trespass).
Notable among these prohibited behaviors is a ‘Class C offense’ that involves remaining in public areas for more than 10 minutes without explicit business, provided there is an intent to disrupt or impede City employees. This policy appears to be aimed at journalists like Todd DeLuca of the Beautiful Scenic Burlington YouTube video page, who has already been trespassed for waiting in hallways to speak with the mayor or other city officials – a practice common among journalists covering city, town, or state government.
In a recent YouTube post, DeLuca – seeking information about the policy – was asked to leave after being notified of the 10-minute policy.
Included in the categories of “Interfering with the free passage of City Hall staff or visitors to City Hall” are:
• Video recording into non-public or restricted areas (i.e. workspaces or other non-public areas) without explicit permission, and
• Remaining in a public area of City Hall without explicit business for a period of longer than 10 minutes, with the intent to cause annoyance, disruption, or the obstruction or impeding of City employees from carrying out City business.
A violation carries the penalty of a 30-day trespass from City Hall – thus impeding the press’s ability to cover city government.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office declined to comment this morning.
DeLucca will be a guest on WVMT AM 620, FM 101.3, and wvmtradio.com’s Chronicle Conversations at noon today.
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Categories: Chronicle Conversations
Have a reason to be there: journalism is a reason, as is waiting to ask a question. The homeless people are no longer allowed to squat in the hallways.
Burlington Vermont has no code of conduct and you should do your business at some other location.
Journalists, if not democrat/progressive-friendly, whether professional or amateur are under scrutiny, and not considered to be engaged in “explicitly approved business”.
We can assume that vagrants seeking a place to hang out would be considered “explicitly approved”.
So much for transparency.
So much for “real names required”.
Ahhh
timothy taussig 213
brian costello vt
Hardly a difference between the two.
It’s communist dictatorship and silencing of political opponents! Unlawful is what it is!
Since this policy applies to public area I doubt it will stand up to a legal challenge.
These types of limitations have already been successfully introduced by various municipalities. The government’s power to issue NTOs impacting members of the public within government properties is however subject to certain restrictions such as:
(a) a formal public warning including as part of “due process,” (b) a good reason for the NTO and its scope, and (c) that the NTO be issued by someone with authority over the property.
Presuming these conditions are met, this policy will stand.
Are they the same “public servants” that require police to wear cameras, and not wear masks ? What is it they are afraid might be inadvertently caught on video ?
So, I guess we can’t run in and use the bathroom anymore!
Only if you are a transgender. Just saying.
Is this a bananas humor article?
Let Freedom Ring
This is what communism looks like. Politicians don’t want to be exposed and held accountable, and they’re stifling first amendment. I’d like to see a lawsuit follow this.
But people can openly squat on property for years and it’s ok? You can do drugs and sell drugs and live on public property a bunch longer than 10 minutes!
How would this work on college campuses? How about Union Strikes? How about protestors at Ice Facilities? How about Pride Marches on church street?
This just happens to be a great way to stifle any true reporting, just coincidence.
When people come protesting about their Transgender rights, what will city hall do? Curious, just asking for a friend.
Has Burlington ever had a mayor with such thin skin? The majority of Burlington voters are more concerned about the color of the skin or other boxes that can be checked by whom represents them, rather than the thickness of their skin. What a pathetic mayor, who hides an unconstitutional policy like this as originating from “the clerk’s office”.