[RP TownTalk] TownTalk Digest, Vol 9, Issue 26

[Alan K. Thompson]

Dear Ms. Lefkowitz,

To answer your questions: yes, they can reply, and yes there are
limitations: the replies cannot be electioneering.  As list moderator,
I have the difficult job of making decisions about what is and is not
electioneering almost every day, and often multiple times per day.
When I make decisions, I do my best to balance the requirements of the
list policy  with the desire to still have the lists active.

If you would like to discuss political topics free of the restrictions
imposed by town law and policy, two list members have set up alternate
venues that allow this (see
http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/2007-April/001584.html
and http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/2007-April/001610.html).

Regards,

Alan Thompson
Mailing List Administrator and Acting Webmaster
Town of Riverdale Park

On 4/19/07, euniverz at aol.com <euniverz at aol.com> wrote:
>
> To all, including decision making town officials and Alan, Moderator:  My
> question is a simple one and without any motive other than my desire not to
> see the town unnecessarily silence productive discourse on this vibrant
> list...
>
> 1a.  If I ask a question about a town matter, on this list, during election
> season, can a town council INCUMBENT answer?  If not, why?  If so, what
> limitations, if any, would there be?
>
> 1b.  If I ask a question about a town matter, on this list, during election
> season, can a CANDIDATE for a town council seat answer?  If not, why?  If
> so, what limitations, if any, would there be?
>
> I apologize in advance if the answer to this question has already been
> posted to this list.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Adrianne Lefkowitz
> Madison Street
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: towntalk-request at riverdale-park.org
>  To: towntalk at riverdale-park.org
>  Sent: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 8:00 AM
>  Subject: TownTalk Digest, Vol 9, Issue 26
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  Message: 1
>  Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:13:01 -0400
>  From: Lou King <lking at knob.com>
>  Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] TownTalk Digest, Vol 9, Issue 21
>  To: towntalk at riverdale-park.org
>  Message-ID: <462689DD.5010407 at knob.com>
>  Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>  Adrianne,
>  I would not want to say that the council members 'think there is a lack
>  of interest on our part', but legislation to have a candidate forum in
>  the May Crier and/or to have some discussion here was, if memory serves,
>  discussed during the March working session, the March Legislative
>  session, April working session, and the April Legislative session. For
>  those not able to come to all those sessions the audio or audio and
>  video was on cable.  The proposals were also talked about on this forum
>  as was when the council was going to take action. But, Adrianne, you
>  knew that because you participated.
>
>  The crowds at Council meetings, interested in these topics, were
>  under-whelming.  Yes, the "old goat with an opinion" spoke his mind.
>  Alan, our moderator, in self-deference, also spoke (it is easer to do
>  your job with guidance, any guidance!).  There may have been another
>  resident at that late hour but I don't remember.  Members of the council
>  have questioned the significance of the 121 members of this list.  In
>  May 2005 there were less than 850 votes cast for Mayor. Currently, by my
>  count, there are  2,445  registered voters in town.
>
>  As for unintentional results of their legislative action, I think based
>  on what I heard that the council did exactly what they intended.
>
>  Adrianne, do you feel like a lone voice in the woods?
>
>  Lou
>
>  euniverz at aol.com wrote:
>  >   I'm not sure I understand how we as a community can afford to be
>  > distant from town politics!  It almost sounded like the town
>  > legislators, perhaps unintentionally, threw up some barriers to
>  > discourse thinking there was a lack of interest on our parts.
>  >
>  > Adrianne Lefkowitz
>  > Madison Street
>  >