A lawyer from Greenville's solicitor, Douglas and Joseph, said the Hermitage firm advised council members to rethink a policy requiring residents to submit written requests in order to speak at council meetings.

Tuesday, council announced only residents who had written before the meeting would be allowed to speak during the public comment period. A lawyer for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association said that such a policy violates the "spirit" of the state's Sunshine Law.

To some residents, it seemed as if council wanted to limit public participation in meetings.

Tim Blatt of Douglas and Joseph said Thursday the firm advised council to limit public comment to 3 minutes per person at the beginning of the meeting.

"We don't think (asking for written submissions) is appropriate," Blatt said.

Blatt said his firm told council it should remove the clause requiring written requests from the policy before Tuesday's meeting.

"It was basically a typo," Blatt said.

Council President Pete Longiotti said Thursday he was misunderstood when he asked for written requests from would-be speakers.

"At the next meeting, I would just like to have people who wish to speak give me a note with their name on it," he said. "They don't have to write what they will be talking about, we just need to know who wants to speak," he said.

That way, Longiotti said, people will be able to read over the agenda and comment on agenda items. Greenville residents can also approach council members after the meeting, Longiotti said.

"It's just another way of streamlining the legislative process," Longiotti said.

He added he was considering approaching council about a using sign-in sheet for those who want to speak. Those who attend meetings already sign in so that council knows who is in the audience.