The Starkville Board of Aldermen passed a resolution asking citizens to power down cell phones or put them on silent during meetings after denying a proposed resolution attempting to ban cell phones due to disturbances.
The proposed resolution, which previously sought to ban all electronic devices, planned to ban cell phones but gave exemptions to “members of the press, mainstream media and Mississippi State University journalism students.”
“I think if it’s from a distraction standpoint, I think it’d be best to have the mayor to ask to put their phones on silent,” he said.
In support of the ban, Ward 2’s Lisa Wynn mentioned a cell phone that was “constantly going off” in the last meeting.
Ward 5’s Scott Maynard offered a motion to revise the resolution so it would not ban cell phones. Instead, citizens would be asked at the beginning of meetings to silence or power down all electronic devices, effective Dec. 3. Any violators of the rule would be asked to leave the meeting.
