EDITORIAL: Newburgh’s elected leaders must legislate transparency
By Michael Martucci, Publisher
As the Publisher of Mid-Hudson News, I feel compelled to address the ongoing intentional obstruction of media by Newburgh City Manager Todd Venning.
By failing to intervene, the City of Newburgh’s mayor and council are empowering Venning to refuse to talk to the media and deny direct access to department heads, including the police and fire chief.
As a former State Senator, I have had the honor of raising my right hand and solemnly affirming that I, among other things, will faithfully discharge the duties of my office. Arguably, there is no greater promise that a constitutional officer and someone who was elected by their community can make.
The proper discharge of duties takes many forms, the chief of which is the duty to be accessible and transparent to the public. Public trust is established through a system of transparency, which is communicated not only by government officials themselves but also by the free press.
Openness strengthens democracy and promotes trust, efficiency, and effectiveness in government and citizens have the right to know about their government’s activities.
Venning’s “gag order” on non-elected city officials requires reporters to speak only with a single point of contact, Mike Neppl, Venning’s chief of staff. Neppl acts as a “gatekeeper” preventing the media from gaining access to Venning and other officials.
Neppl, in past correspondence with Mid-Hudson News, has required that media requests and questions be furnished in writing, in advance of interviews. Neppl has described these restrictions simply as the city’s media policy, but these practices are not at all consistent with other municipal media rules.
At a city news conference, when the editor of Mid-Hudson News asked a question that city officials deemed as “off-topic” his question was refused, and he was told that he must follow the “appropriate procedure” to have his question answered. Despite officials being present at that very moment to respond, our editor’s inquiry was summarily rejected.
This restricted access is unheard of in the region. In the City of Middletown for example, Mayor Joe DeStefano makes available all of his department heads to the media. Journalists do not need prior approval from a “press gatekeeper” like Neppl. Similar access exists in every city, village, town, and county in the region—except for Newburgh.
Newburgh’s policy is not about relying on a strict media-relations procedure to maintain operational efficiency.
Consider the fact that Newburgh is a small city with a population of under 30,000 while Westchester County has a census of around 1 million. Westchester County Executive George Latimer has proven to be far more accessible to the media, despite his 30 times larger constituency.
The solution to this problem is simple and does not lie with Venning himself. As city manager, Venning is not elected, but rather appointed. The mayor and council who oversee can tell Venning to change his ways or find employment elsewhere.
All the councilmembers and mayor must do to increase transparency, trust, and accountability in city government is direct Venning to end his intentionally obstructive media policy immediately. To properly memorialize this policy, the city council must pass a resolution requiring the city manager, and other city officials, to respond and provide access to information to news outlets rapidly like all other municipalities. And, that includes direct and open communication between the media and Venning.
Historically, news organizations have helped set the agenda for important public policy debates. The media can hold accountable powerful government officials and can shine a light on matters the public would otherwise be unaware of. Their editorial pages have recommended specific solutions that have improved the quality of life for citizens. In cases when media access is restricted or altogether denied, unchecked power has resulted in bad outcomes.
Venning’s attempt to control the free press’ narrative is alarming. Residents in the City of Newburgh should demand a change. The media-relations policy is attempting to keep the city’s residents in the dark, but Mid-Hudson News will continue to shine a light into the darkness, despite the intentional attempt to draw the shades.
Before trust and credibility in the city government suffer any further, the mayor and city council must take action. The city’s elected leaders must remember the promises made to the public on the day they took their oath of office and use the powers granted in the city charter to legislate transparency.
(Michael Martucci is the Publisher of Mid-Hudson News. He is a former New York State Senator and a successful businessman.)
