BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — The Bellevue City Council has rejected a proposed “Citizen Code of Conduct.”

The council took the action Monday night, following public criticism and a lawsuit warning by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska.

City administrators had said they wanted a policy that would help the city deal with residents who cause problems for city staffers.

Council President Paul Cook said at Monday’s meeting, however, that the city instead can do better by training staff and developing internal procedures to deal with people whom city employees determine consume too much staff time.

The ACLU’s Amy Miller said in a letter to the city that the proposed policy was unconstitutionally vague and would have covered speech that is protected by the First Amendment.