An issue with a member of the public has resulted in a new policy in Hagar Township.

Hagar Township Supervisor Izzy DiMaggio tells us he’s updated the rules for public comments at meetings of the board of trustees. He says for years, he allowed public comment on agenda items as they were discussed by trustees, giving residents a chance to ask questions or chime in. But now that’s being limited. Why?

“For the last few months, this one individual has just gotten out of hand,” DiMaggio said. “Constant interruptions, personal attacks on board members, citizens, and then using profanity in a meeting. And the last month ago, I had to escort to tell the person he had to leave the meeting.

So, public comments will now only be at the end of the meeting and limited to two minutes for each citizen.

“Because of one person, I had to change the rules. It’s not necessarily forever. It’s going to be this way for a while, and we’ll see what happens.”

DiMaggio says he’s sorry to implement the new rules. He says since he chaired his first board meeting back in 2011, he’s always allowed any citizen to comment on any agenda item during the meeting, but that now has to be limited.

DiMaggio reviewed the rule changes with the township attorney and the Michigan Townships Association and has gotten the OK. In fact, the new rules in place in Hagar Township are the same rules followed by most municipal bodies in Berrien County and around the state.