From:
To: City Council
Subject: Re: press access
Date: Tuesday, March 4, 2025 9:54:21 AM
Dear council,
After receiving a response from the mayor, I feel I should clarify that the recently instituted protocol is not, in my opinion, an effective way to meet the goal of maintaining “a strong, transparent and effective relationship with the media while ensuring that that all communication is timely, accurate and aligned with the city's goals and values.” We are experiencing a period of interference with press freedom and safety, and so in this historical moment, we must listen to the journalists, especially the ones free of corporate ownership control, when it comes to determining policies for access. Our local press are essential to public understanding of and engagement with our democratic institutions. This is not the moment for increasing barriers, or even perceived barriers, between our local news reporters and local government.
Respectfully,
Kenna Lee
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On Mar 3, 2025, at 10:16 AM, Kenna Lee m>
wrote:
Dear council,
As a Sebastopol voter, I am very concerned about the proposed new press policy and hope the council will prioritize transparency and full press access to our government in this time of decreased trust in our institutions.
Thank you,
Kenna Lee
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