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Fredonia's trustees continued their debate last week about allowing anonymous correspondence at their meetings.
The trustees are considering a resolution to ban the readout of letters by people who do not want their name used. "I had some reservations about going forward but I no longer have those reservations," Trustee Ben Brauchler said at the most recent trustees' workshop.
However, Trustee Tim Mulholland said, "I have some reservations. I think I would vote no as it's written right now."
Mulholland said he had three reasons for his stance. One is that he feels the resolution is not clearly written enough. Another is that "I think we just need to consider the context of that particular letter that prompted the discussion."
He was referring to a letter read several weeks ago at a meeting. The writer requested anonymity and went on to bash Mayor Michael Ferguson in personal terms, resorting to name-calling and questioning his emotional fitness to be mayor. The writer stated they had witnessed bad behavior from Ferguson as mayor.
"The letter itself, and it really was just the one letter...came during a period when residents were not allowed to address this board with public comment," Mulholland said. "I think if we're telling people they can't stand up here and speak to us, it is kind of understandable that they felt uncomfortable putting their name and address on a letter that is critical in nature."
He added, "I don't know that we need to create a policy based on one letter. I think if it became an actual problem -- like if we were inundated with anonymous letters, AI-submitted from wherever, and there was an expectation that the clerk needs to read all of them aloud, obviously that would be inappropriate and I would definitely be in line with this resolution.
"But right now, I don't really see it as a problem that is significant enough to justify a new resolution eliminating something that residents currently have available to them."
Mayor Michael Ferguson repeated his claim that no other municipality in Chautauqua County allows anonymous correspondence to be read at meetings.
"I think it's a matter of policy too. I think you're saying we don't need a policy," Trustee Paul Wandel said.
"If we do, it needs to be kind of equitable to all," Mulholland said. He wondered if because public comment at the podium is allowed again at meetings, no letters should be read at all.
Wandel asked Mulholland how he would reword the resolution. He said, "I would suggest saying clearly, 'We will not read anonymous letters to the board out loud.'" Mulholland also suggested "putting something in there in terms of what you mean by anonymous."
Ferguson stated that people who speak at the podium must offer their name and the municipality they live in, though addresses are no longer required.
"I'm OK with rewording it as long as it captures the spirit of the resolution," Wandel said.
Trustee Christine Cruz-Keefe thought there should be a provision that people who do not want their names used, still share their names with village officials so they are not entirely anonymous.
Brauchler said that would allow a discussion beforehand about whether or not to read the letter anonymously.
Wandel asked Treasurer Erlyssa LeBeau to amend the resolution "as per Trustee Tim's commentary, such that it does carry the spirit of the resolution." That ended the discussion, for now.
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