Aspinwall residents questioned why borough officials implemented a policy that regulates how the borough responds to inquiries from news outlets.

Council never formally adopted the policy, which was released in July and posted on the borough’s website.

Resident Steve Kochanowski at the Oct. 4 workshop meeting asked why it was not adopted like other borough regulations.

“I respect that you’re doing that, but I think a lot more people would be a lot more comfortable if it’s like any other policy that the borough has,” he said.

Council President Tim McLaughlin said he drafted the policy, and the solicitor said a formal vote was not required.

The policy was reviewed by other council members before it was sent to media outlets, the council president said.

McLaughlin, borough Manager Melissa O’Malley and Mayor Joe Noro gave a different account in an interview with the Tribune-Review on Aug. 9.

“We’ve always had a media policy, albeit not officially released to anybody,” O’Malley said at the interview.

All questions, requests and comments from the media must be submitted to the council president and borough manager, according to the media policy.

Requests for police information must be made to both the borough manager and the mayor.

Such a policy is not unique to Aspinwall.

Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, told the Tribune-Review earlier this year these policies are becoming increasingly common across the state and nation.

McLaughlin told those at the workshop meeting that the policy was not intended to keep a person from speaking to the press, but to streamline communication and ensure accurate information is disseminated.

The media policy states that emailed inquiries would get a response within 24 hours.

“It’s accountability as much for us as it is for our media partners to at least respect the channel that we have set up to make sure they’re getting accurate information,” McLaughlin said.

Resident Rachel Perry questioned the requirement of having the manager and council president both included in media emails.

She also asked if police inquires could be made just to Chief David Nemec, or if the mayor and the manger’s inclusion was also a requirement.

“If the two of you are not addressed in an email, then the email is disregarded?” Perry asked. “That’s the impression that I got. That it must come to both of you, otherwise you’re not going to respond. Is that accurate?”

“No,” McLaughlin said.

But the policy states: “We will not address any email sent to just one of us. If you have a follow up question or are seeking clarity from a specific council member, please copy Melissa and Tim on that follow up email.”

Noro was not at the workshop meeting.

McLaughlin said including the council president and the manger on emails, even those sent to other borough staffers or council members, would help ensure a 24-hour response in case someone is on vacation.

“I know some people may perceive this as (us being) some overlord,” McLaughlin said. “If we have made a commitment of 24-hours response, if I’m copied on it and I don’t see a response, I can say, ‘Hey’ and shoot a text (that may say) ‘did you get that email and respond do it?’”

Perry asked again if the media could get information from the borough if an email was only sent to one person.

“It’s not a requirement for a response,” McLaughlin replied. “It was a request, what we had hoped for.”

A Tribune-Review reporter pointed out the policy language — which is quoted above — requires that the borough manager and the council president must be included on all media inquiries.

McLaughlin said he would be open to tweak the language to make it “worded a little bit better.”

Councilman Jeff Harris said the policy does not infringe on conversations between the media and council members.

“If you make a request to council about an opinion or something, people choose not to reply that’s on them,” Harris said. “Email whoever you want, whenever you want, however you want. But if you want an answer that’s accurate and timely, this is what you do.”

Councilman Heth Turnquist said council is very transparent and the best time to get responses from elected leaders would be at public meetings instead of email.

McLaughlin said he would be open to putting the media policy up for a vote after another review.

“I’m happy to tweak it,” he said. “Get it in a better place. Let our media partners look at it to make sure it’s very clear and then vote on it. Everybody here de facto did because they all saw it and gave their feedback.”

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