Council looks at Web truth

By SHELLEY TERRY - Staff Writer - sterry@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

May 08, 2008 11:54 pm

— ASHTABULA — City Council hopes to get to the truth of the matter at a special meeting Monday.
The controversial Web site (www.ashtabulatruth.com) will be the topic of the meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Monday in the second-floor conference room of the Ashtabula Municipal Building, 4717 Main Ave.
Ward 3 Councilwoman Ericka Severino and former city solicitor Thomas Simon charge that City Solicitor Michael Franklin and his private-office employee Connie Porter created the Web site, which criticizes Simon and past and present city councils.
At Simon’s urging, council unanimously voted to conduct an investigation.
The Web site, managed by NTT America Inc., of Centennial, Colo., recently appeared after the Star Beacon’s 10-part series regarding the economic condition of Ashtabula County. It provides the Web site author’s view of why the city is in the condition it’s in. Citing city documents, local newspaper publications and court records, it places much of the blame on Simon.
When contacted, NTT America would not provide any information about the content or ownership of www.ashtabulatruth.com.
The Web site raises many issues the city has dealt with the past few years, including:
n The events leading up to the tax abatement lawsuit between the Ashtabula Area City School Board and the city. Simon’s lack of response to the board of education’s concerns is cited as a reason the board filed suit. It’s also the reason the city had to hire an outside firm to represent it and pay $175,000, according to the site;
n Simon taking City Manager Anthony Cantagallo to task in March for hiring a temporary fourth police captain, when that is not permitted by city ordinance. The Web site chides Simon for not paying more than $30,000 in delinquent taxes, according to Ashtabula County auditor’s Web site, and it charges Simon wrote his own congratulatory goodbye resolution; and
n Simon’s safety fee of $4 a month, which Franklin sued the city over in 2005 and won. The lawsuit cost the city nearly $14,000, according to the Web site.
Franklin maintained his stance Thursday that he did not create any of the content on the Web site, nor does he own or control it, he said.
He has, however, at the request of council, reviewed it very carefully, and he said he believes it is constitutionally protected under free speech and matters of public record.
Porter refused to comment.
Simon said the Web site is libelous.
“It’s serious,” he said. “City Council would be remiss if they didn’t investigate it.”