Five Schuylkill residents submitted comments for the weekly commissioners meeting held today.

Chief Clerk Linda Deatrich would not provide the names of the residents before the meeting, although she confirmed five have done so.

The county enacted its public meeting policy last week by a 2-1 vote that restricts public comment. Commissioner Gary Hess voted no.

The motion sets guidelines for public participation, and among other things, requires those participating virtually to submit their comments to the county clerk in writing within a specified time frame.

Another section says “other than by county clerk for the sole purpose of preparation of the meeting minutes, there shall be no recording of the meeting either by video or audio unless the person making such a recording first discloses that a recording is being made to the chair.”

The Sunshine Law permits the recording of public meetings, which a Zoom meeting would be. Announcement of a recording is not necessary.

County resident Doug Litwhiler said Tuesday he submitted comments by the 3 p.m. Tuesday deadline.

“I don’t think they are going to read it word for word,” he said of his submission.

The topics include the touch-free water coolers/drinking fountains the county could potentially buy, the vote on the adoption of the public comment policy and the recycling changes that requires waste haulers to provide a curbside recycling option, among others.

Litwhiler claimed he would file a civil rights lawsuit if his comments were not read verbatim.

“They work for the people, not for themselves,” he said.

Schuylkill County First Assistant County Solicitor Glenn Roth said Tuesday he does not know if the public will be muted on the Zoom call. He said Commissioners’ Chairman Barron “Boots” Hetherington will make that determination.

“We do anticipate enforcing the new public comment policy,” Roth said.

Hetherington did not return a call for comment Tuesday.