Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Consumer Protection topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Councilor warns residents about fundraising letters that reference Wilkes-Barre City Council
Summary
Councilman Barrack told the council he received a copy of a solicitation letter sent to a Wilkes-Barre resident that used the city council’s name and asked for donations to a group located in Stafford, Texas. He said the mailing could mislead residents and urged awareness rather than city involvement.
Councilman Barrack alerted colleagues to a solicitation letter a Wilkes-Barre resident received that used the phrase “Boatsbyer City Council” on its letterhead and invited recipients to sign a petition and donate to the group’s cause. Barrack said the mailing requested donations and listed Stafford, Texas, as the recipient location.
“I just don't know if we can do anything about it other than awareness, but we already have a quality of life program that's very successful,” Barrack said. He described the mailing as “some sort of a fishing expedition” that could mislead residents into thinking the city council was directly involved in fundraising.
Barrack asked colleagues to be aware that residents may query the council about the mailings and emphasized that the city’s existing quality-of-life program is separate from the solicitation. The council did not record any formal action or vote on the matter during the meeting; members treated the report as an alert for staff and residents.
Council members did not identify the group behind the mailing beyond Barrack’s description of Stafford, Texas, and did not provide copies to the public record during the session. Barrack recommended awareness and, implicitly, caution among residents who receive similar mailings.
