How to resolve AdBlock issue? SARATOGA SPRINGS — A criminal complaint was filed last month asking the Saratoga Springs Police Department to issue a summons to Chandler Hickenbottom, in connection with the disruption of a Feb. 7 City Council meeting. That council meeting was subsequently adjourned early and resumed two days later.
The request for a criminal summons was made on Feb. 16 by Public Safety Commissioner Jim Montagnino, according to court documents. The charge, a disorderly conduct violation, is specified under the subdivision as disturbing a lawful assembly without lawful authority to do so. Hickenbottom, 26, is scheduled to answer to the charges in City Court on March 7.
Following reports of the filing, city Mayor Ron Kim released a statement regarding the matter and the apparent filing of a summons against Hickenbottom, a member of Black Lives Matter Saratoga.
“I regret to hear that the Commissioner of Public Safety has filed a summons against a BLM activist for her disruptive conduct during the Feb. 7, 2023 City Council meeting. This action is counterproductive to a continued dialogue with all members of our community, a waste of city resources and could potentially lead to additional costs to the city and taxpayers,” said Mayor Kim, who along with Public Safety Commissioner Jim Montagnino were two of the five council members present during the Feb. 7 meeting.
“The BLM activist who interrupted our meeting…acted in an irresponsible manner and I condemn any outbursts by a community member at our public meetings, but I do not believe it was criminal or requires any consideration by the courts,” said Kim, calling on Montagnino to withdraw the summons and adding that the action is “a misguided overreach by the Department of Public Safety… counterproductive and regrettable.”
Additional statements were later released by three other City Council members. They read, in part:
• Commissioner of Finance Minita Sanghvi: “I am deeply distressed to see that instead of moving towards engagement and dialogue through a community forum, the Commissioner of Public Safety has decided to waste taxpayer dollars by filing a criminal complaint against Chandler Hickenbottom of Saratoga BLM.”
• Commissioner of Public Works Jason Golub: “I believe there are much better ways to respond to and solve the issues raised by BLM and by the Police Reform Task Force, rather than escalating unproductive rhetoric and taking unnecessary legal actions...BLM and the protests we’ve seen locally and nationally over the past few years give voice to a problem that must be taken seriously, and not dismissed by leaders. I believe the best path forward is a strategic and ongoing dialogue between BLM, members of the council, members of the police force, and other impacted constituencies with concrete outcomes and accountability. Everyone must come to the table and work together in order for us to progress.”
• Commissioner of Accounts Dillon Moran said he was “deeply disturbed by the unilateral actions taken by the Commissioner of Public Safety,” and urged “collaborative engagement with those seeking answers about our efforts relative to the work of the Police Reform Task Force... the criminalization of speech is simply unacceptable and will further widen the divide that exists within our community.”
Subsequent to the February meetings, the mayor recommended changes to the twice-a-month council meetings, effective immediately, that will feature an earlier start time and place a time-lengthened public comment period at the end of meetings, rather than at the beginning – where they currently stand.
