[RP TownTalk] Electioneering on the List(s)

[Alan K. Thompson]

Dear TownTalkers,

As you may or may not know, electioneering is not allowed on
town-sponsored e-mail lists without the permission of the Town.

Policy for electioneering on town e-mail lists was established by the
previous Town Council in April, 2007, and can be read at
http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/2007-April/001549.html
That policy states, in part, that electioneering will only be
regulated on the lists for 60 days before an election.  If I've
counted correctly, that starts around 7am tomorrow (3/7/2009).

During the 2007 election season, I put the list on "full emergency
moderation", which meant that I (or someone to whom I delegated
authority) had to approve every message before it went out.  This
slowed down discussion a bit, and I had hoped to not have to do it
again, but I don't see another option.  I will try to check postings
multiple times per day to allow the important chicken-related messages
to get through; I hope you will have patience with your messages going
out within this schedule.  I sometimes have to think about a message
for a little while before deciding whether it is electioneering or
not, but I will try very hard to not let any message sit without a
response for more than 24 hours.

I would ask that anyone who thinks that this is not an appropriate
policy to read the discussion in March of 2007 about electioneering
(http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/2007-March/thread.html)
before posting to the list.  The discussion at that time was
wide-ranging, and provides good arguments from many viewpoints worthy
of consideration.  The current policy could be modified by action of
the Town Council, though I do not believe the topic has been discussed
by the current council.

Thanks in advance for your patience and understanding during this
election season.

Alan K. Thompson
E-mail List Administrator
Town of Riverdale Park