Letter writers accusing council of censorship
By Colleen Dane
Record Staff

Aug 29 2007

Gallery regulars at Cumberland council are crying censorship about a new policy that will allow staff to redirect correspondence from meeting agendas.

“It’s not a matter of getting immediate reaction,” said Colleen Crowther, one of around five village residents who regularly attend council meetings, about the letters she writes to mayor and council. “It’s to inform you guys there’s a problem in town.”

The comments came at this week’s council meeting, during the question period where residents address village politicians about items on the agenda.

This week, the topic of choice was the correspondence policy approved by the three councillors who attended the meeting.

After confusion with new staff about holding letters where action was already being taken, council asked for the official policy to be reviewed.

That came back Monday, and changes stipulate that letters coming to mayor and council will be sent to a private read-me bin for councillors, while the issues will be directed to the appropriate staff member for follow-up.

That way, said staff, there can be immediate action on the letter rather than waiting to the next agenda for direction from council. The correspondence, they added, would still be available to the elected politicians.

“All letters do make it to mayor and council for review,” said Christine Makarowski, corporate services manager.

That, however, doesn’t address the reason why many people write letters, said those in the gallery.

A complaint to staff that requires action is one thing, said residents — but often letters to council are to bring to their attention again something they don’t feel staff are handling, or to publicly share an opinion about council actions.

Some also sent short, vague letters on a topic of interest after a policy was passed earlier this year saying questions could only be asked of items on the agenda.

Some also said their letters were a way of officially registering a concern — and the new system would have no permanent record system to monitor those feelings in the future.

“I feel much the same way — if it’s to mayor and council, I would like to see it addressed,” said another gallery regular Grace Doherty.

While councillors Gwyn Sproule, Bronco Moncrief and Leslie Baird approved the policy — they did have a few questions about it, and said the first while of it would be a trial run to see if it did deliver more efficient service regarding residents’ concerns.

Moncrief added that the read-me file for council means they will still be aware of residents’ concerns.

“If there’s an issue in that letter basket in there, I know it’ll be on the table.”