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The Capital Wed. 11/28/01. KIDL "postmistress" response to County follows: County's new online newsletter
denounced
Members of the Kent Island Defense League want nothing to do with the county's new online newsletter, calling it worthless "propaganda." They flooded the grass-roots group's board last week with demands that their e-mail addresses not be given to the county because they don't want the monthly newsletter. Greg Nizza, the county's new public information officer in charge of the newsletter, said the group's response "shocked and discouraged" him. Mr. Nizza unveiled the newsletter at the Nov. 20 Queen Anne's County Board of Commissioners meeting. He called it one more tool for the county to get information to the public The commissioners agreed, and asked League Vice President Mike Koval to submit his group's list of 500-plus e-mail addresses. They said they hoped the newsletter would correct what they called "misleading" information being spread by local activists. This month's issue featured a column by the commissioners explaining their side of the battle over the 1,350-home Four Seasons project, which the League has been trying to get put up for a referendum. It is appealing a state Board of Elections ruling that threw out 4,409 petition signatures, saying there could be no county referendum on a state law. "We got an overwhelming number of responses from our members saying they didn't want (the newsletter), that it was simply more propaganda," Mr. Koval said. He could not estimate exactly how many members asked that the newsletter not be sent to them. Mr. Koval had told the commissioners last week that his group would consider giving the county the group's e-mail address list because he thought the online newsletter would be a good tool for getting important announcements out to the public. Yesterday, he said he still felt the same way but since many defense league members do not, the group would not be sending the newsletter to its members. The county sent the newsletter, which residents can receive by e-mailing publicinfo@qac.org, to more than 500 people last week. Mr. Nizza said he received nearly 70 requests from residents asking that the newsletter be sent to them too. "A lot of people are saying they now understand the (referendum petition) issue better than they did before," Mr. Nizza said. He thinks the defense league's response goes against its purpose. "This group's stated goal is to educate the public, and it doesn't want the information from the county?" he said. "It's very discouraging when the commissioners try to get the information out there and they don't even want it." Published November 28,
2001,
The
Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Hi Greg, I'm in charge of maintaining email for KIDL. I am a bit disturbed by the tone of the Capital article last night which makes it sound like KIDL is not interested in educating the public. I feel a good part of our job in educating people is to let them know where they can go to get information. To that end we have had links to the County on our website from its inception. Many times I will read a public notice of a meeting or hearing in the newspaper which will not be posted on the County site yet. In these cases we post the notice on our website even before the County has it on their own. Your original press release with instructions for how to receive the newsletter by email was distributed to our members with no introduction or comment from KIDL. Almost immediately the emails began coming in asking us not to give out email addresses OR forward the County newsletter. If members ask us not to forward something we must respect that, and there is no way for me to forward the newsletter to less than the entire list. In a subsequent note to members I reiterated that the County had asked us to "forward" the newsletter and that we had decided not to do so, but that those interested could sign up to receive the letter, or they could access the letter from the County's link in our website. I reminded people to check both sites regularly to keep on top of things. I felt I had to write this so you might consider rewording your official statement so as not to put our organization in a negative light. We are all volunteers who care deeply about the future of Queen Anne's County. Thanks for your time, Nancy Koval
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