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Resident tells council she was threatened and urges reinstating virtual public comment
Summary
During public comment a resident said she received a certified letter from a council member threatening legal action if she spoke and urged the council to restore virtual public comment and social‑media transparency for residents with access barriers. The council did not respond to the specific allegation during the meeting.
At the start of the Jan. 6 Rochester City Council meeting, public commenter Molly Dennis said she had received a certified letter from a city council member threatening legal action if she came to speak and characterized the letter as an intimidation tactic. Dennis said the city’s removal of virtual public comment limits participation from people who are disabled, in nursing homes or lack transportation; she urged the council to reinstate virtual participation options and restore social‑media transparency.
Council officers reminded speakers of the two‑minute public comment rule and asked Dennis to conclude her remarks. No council member or the named person offered an on‑the‑record response to Dennis’s allegation during the meeting. The claim remains on the public record as presented by Dennis.
Dennis also said she would post materials on a Facebook advocacy page if she could not finish speaking.
The allegation was recorded in the public transcript and was not substantiated or rebutted on the record at the hearing. The council did not take immediate action on virtual public comment during the meeting; procedural follow up would require an agenda item or staff direction for policy change.
