Mayor airs post meeting concerns

Whitehall Mayor Mary Janacaro-Hensleigh took a strong stance last week to defend local residents who choose to voice their opinions during Council meetings or public hearings.

During her monthly report at the April 9 meeting, Janacaro Hensleigh said that because of the First Amendment, the public has a wide longitude of what they can say at a meeting. Her comments came in regards to several residents who reported being “verbally attacked” after a March Council meeting.

Janacaro Hensleigh said residents should always feel free to speak freely, and even if it is something someone may not want to hear, the governing body should listen.

The Mayor said it was not okay to verbally attack people inside the chamber after the meeting or when they are walking to their car. Lori Young, Larry Feight, and Maxine Samuelson all reported they were approached outside following the March meeting in regards to comments they made that night or at a previous meeting. Young said she contacted Jefferson County Sheriff Craig Doolittle about the incident. Young added she hated to bring up the issue in public, but what happened was unwarranted and inexcusable.

FIRE DEPARTMENT

Whitehall Fire Chief Jeremy Ward said it was a slow month of calls during March for the Department. He also said numbers are dropping for the department and said they are always looking for volunteers.

Ward added they have moved on to phase two of the remodel at the Fire Hall and things are looking really nice.