Common Councilperson Jeffery Barken alleges a Tompkins County administrator compelled Tompkins Weekly to modify an article containing statements by Trumansburg Mayor Rordan Hart.
Hart’s comments in the article were critical of the Reimagining Public Safety process.
“It has come to my attention that a county administrator has, for some time now, been exercising improper influence over a local publication,” Barken said near the beginning of his remarks.
Barken quoted an email he claims was sent by the unnamed Tompkins County administrator.
“Mayor Hart makes some pretty bold assertions backed up by the columnist that are undermining our efforts.”
“In this communique, the county official seeks to rein in remarks made by Trumansburg mayor Rorden Hart in an article about our neighboring village’s 150th anniversary,” Barken continued.
Barken claims the email has prompted several independent investigations and Freedom Of Information Law (FOIL) requests.
Barken says that “we do not yet know for how long this official misconduct went on” but believes that “a pattern of abuse is strongly suggested.”
Journalist Suspended In Wake of FOIL Requests
“I am horrified to learn that in the wake of recent FOIA requests, retaliatory actions have been made against the reporter that brought Mayor Hart’s statement to the fore, resulting in that writer’s suspension,” Barken said.
The reporter in question is journalist and Trumansburg resident Deidra Cross, who is a writer for Tompkins Weekly. Cross wrote the article about Trumansburg’s 150th anniversary containing Hart’s statements.
Acting Mayor Lewis, Councilperson Brock Respond
“I would be reluctant to make any statements about another municipality,” acting mayor Lewis said following Barken’s remarks.
“If that is indeed happening, that is a threat to our community because it means that our media and news outlets are not free to report on items they view are rising in our communities,” Councilperson Cynthia Brock said in her response to Barken’s statement.
“I think it is a time when we all have a responsibility to look for factual information,” Lewis said. “I think there is always a need to verify information.”
“That is happening now,” Barken responded. “FOILs are on the way.”
A transcript of Barken’s statement and the full Common Council meeting are below.
I’ll take the privilege of the floor now. So good evening Mayor Lewis, Council colleagues, fellow Ithacans.
I’ve asked the privilege of the floor tonight to address something I find deeply troubling. It involves one of the most sacred principles of faith in our republic; the freedom of the press. It has come to my attention that a county administrator has, for some time now, been exercising improper influence over a local publication. We do not yet know for how long this official misconduct went on, if the problem extends to other news outlets, but a pattern of abuse is strongly suggested.
“I want to again share concern on the column that mentions reimagining public safety,” I quote from the email that has now prompted several FOIL requests and independent investigations.
In this communique, the county official seeks to rein in remarks made by Trumansburg mayor Rorden Hart in an article about our neighboring village’s 150th anniversary.
“Mayor Hart makes some pretty bold assertions backed up by the columnist that are undermining our efforts,” the county official says. Mayor Hart had stated in the article, “What we have seen as a result of the reimagining initiative is the willful dismantling of necessary services.”
He describes the growing inability of Ithaca’s police department to adequately support EMS workers and how this is straining the resources of neighboring municipalities.
He is not wrong to say so. I myself reported in April on the early retirements of three high-ranking, decorated and respected Ithaca police officers, who all cited reimagining public safety as the reason for their decision to leave.
Early retirements continue to render new recruitment at IPD akin to building on a foundation of sand. Department attrition outpaces new hiring at an alarming rate. It takes two years for new police recruits to successfully navigate civil service exams and the academy before they can be fielded.
Many recruits who begin the process drop out. The training is rigorous and one must truly have the right stuff to be eligible to serve.
There are currently 13 unfilled positions in IPD. The promise of higher salaries and signing bonuses for laterals has not meaningfully altered the city’s predicament.
It’s significant that the county has been able to make 12 new hires this year, but despite the financial incentives we’re offering, we continue to struggle.
IPD sergeant of community outreach Mary Orsaio tells me the uncertain future of the department has made potential recruits think twice about starting their career in Ithaca. She says what’s even more concerning is the reality impacting our ambulance services.
I have this statement from Bangs ambulance’s board of directors. They say the reimagining campaign and the loss of Ithaca police department officers has directly impacted our crews safety and our ability to provide prompt medical care.
I grew up with Megan Bangs, who serves on this board. We bussed to Caroline, Dewitt and Ithaca high school together. Megan represents the third generation of her family to provide life-saving services to our community. I take it very seriously when she tells me the golden rule of EMS is scene safety and that her crews have repeatedly had to risk their lives because IPD were unable to show up on time.
Ask anyone who has ever required an ambulance; emergency means every second counts. Ambulance crews have waited outside or even within residences for over 20 minutes in the absence of a police escort while dangerous scenes rapidly evolved.
Megan offers the example of calls for overdose patients. Sadly this occurs all too often in Ithaca. The weekend of August 12, 2022 alone saw 11 overdoses as a tainted batch of drugs proliferated among needle users in our community.
Every one of those calls required a police escort. Megan says depending on how bad the overdose is, there is always a risk that the patient will become violent when medics administer the life-saving drug Narcan.
That same weekend saw two assaults; one aggressive mental health patient with weapons, two stabbings and a shooting. I want to stress that Bangs ambulance has the utmost respect for all our brothers and sisters who serve as first responders. Megan says we are not placing any blame on Ithaca police department officers. They are doing the best they can in a very difficult situation, and we are extremely appreciative to have them.
Megan’s critique of our governance, however, is scathing. She says it’s unfortunate that a majority of the city of Ithaca officials do not support the employees and departments who provide these life-saving services. And even more unfortunate, that they are willing to let it get to a point where it is endangering the safety of city residents.
Attribute what you will to the general staffing shortages reportedly impacting first responders nationwide and what you will to our reform effort. The fact remains that our public safety apparatus is crumbling and this reality cannot be ignored.
Humane policing and prompt ambulance services are innately intertwined. It behooves a free press to report honest appraisals regarding the status of the substantial collaborative workforce made by elected officials. Therefore it is chilling to think that a member of county administration could take issue with an article written about the opinions of the mayor of another municipality and then force the offending publication to alter its content.
I am horrified to learn that in the wake of recent FOIA requests, retaliatory actions have been made against the reporter that brought Mayor Hart’s statement to the fore, resulting in that writer’s suspension.
What does it mean for a county administrator to say a publication is undermining our efforts and require changes to statements? Are we the people not utterly violated when a publication exceeds to such outrageous demands?
From a writer’s perspective, the very thought of a government official or any outside entity, forcing the change of even one word against their will is a major affront to democracy. If there’s any belief that has always united Americans at hours of challenge and division, it is our absolute devotion to the protection of each individual’s right to free speech. Reimagining public safety, in its original inspiration, is it not to highlight the voices of the entire community, especially those deemed marginalized?
When ideology is blindly or systematically used to impose rhetoric regulating the free press, we have undermined our very ability to imagine anything at all. I still believe we can achieve reforms that honor the many individuals who have spoken their truth these past two years. And the compassion and patience community members are bravely showing each other throughout this process.
The question for us now is how do we heal.
Thank You
CORRECTION: A URL in Councilperson Barken’s full remarks incorrectly linked to his op-ed from March 21st. The URL now directs to the op-ed Barken published on April 5th.