Extra mail security at Cornwall city hall

New mailroom keys are issued to Cornwall city councillors Dec. 16, 2014 after concerns about members of the public stuffing their boxes with propeganda. (Cornwall Newswatch/Bill Kingston)

CORNWALL – There’s an extra level of security at city hall and you can find it on the keyring of every city councillor.

The municipality distributed keys to the municipal mail room during a special council meeting Tuesday afternoon.

It comes after Coun. Andre Rivette raised a fuss during a council meeting early this month about anti-fluoride crusaders stuffing his mailbox with propaganda.

“They have no business putting it in our mailbox…nobody is supposed to be going into our boxes,” he asserted.

Mayor Leslie O’Shaugnessey said the problem could be solved by putting a lock on the mailroom door and issuing keys, which was done Tuesday.

Council also learned that it was the mayor’s assistant Diane Brown – and not activists – that had put the fluoride information in the mail slots.

The new mail system protocol will see a member of city staff handle correspondence from members of the public and will take their name and add it to the mail before putting it in a councillors’ mailbox.

But Coun. David Murphy is concerned a constituent that wants to raise concerns with some anonymity will now be discouraged.

Coun. David Murphy, left, picks up his mail room key while talking to Mayor Leslie O'Shaughnessy, right, during a Dec. 16, 2014 meeting. Murphy is concerned the new security will make people reluctant to write to city hall. (Cornwall Newswatch/Bill Kingston)
Coun. David Murphy, left, picks up his mail room key while talking to Mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy, right, during a Dec. 16, 2014 meeting. Murphy is concerned the new security will make people reluctant to write to city hall. (Cornwall Newswatch/Bill Kingston)

The mail system at city hall has had it’s fair share of black marks.

During his tenure as city councillor, Leslie O’Shaughnessy said mail that had been dropped off at city hall was withheld by another member of council on two separate occasions.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply