Vandergrift leaders address online criticism, urge residents to share concerns in person
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Public criticism comes with being an elected official, but Vandergrift officials think it’s going too far.
At this week’s council meeting, Mayor Lenny Collini brought up criticisms of the mayor and council appearing on social media.
“I’m extremely uncomfortable with the social media going around about our town,” Collini said.
He said people posting the comments have resorted to name-calling and exhibited an angry, mean-spirited bent that he thinks is threatening.
Some even have asked for council members’ home addresses to be posted online.
“I think one of them said they were going to come in here and remove all the council members,” Collini said. “That’s a threat.
“You are putting people at risk, you are putting our families at risk,” he said, adding that such comments don’t paint an appealing image of the town.
Councilman Jody Sarno echoed some of Collini’s sentiments. He said someone posted that they wanted to confront him at this house.
“I don’t know why they would do that,” Sarno said.
Collini said some of the online comments came after a reported postponement of a Gathering on Grant event and council’s approval of a policy listing numerous requirements for organizations holding events on public property.
He said nobody said anything about canceling the event, but people seemed to think otherwise. They directed their anger at council.
In fact, at the meeting, council approved the dates of May 16, June 20, July 11, Aug. 15 and Sept. 12 for Gathering on Grant events this year.
Council President Tom Holmes also appointed himself and Councilwomen Daisha Clayton and Rae Ann Bruner as a committee to meet with a representative from each organization sponsoring events to discuss the new policy.
“I’ve seen people saying that council wants to destroy the downtown,” Sarno said. “Why would we do that?
“We want what’s best for our community.”
Sarno said that if people have questions or concerns about things related to the borough, they should pursue them but not from a computer keyboard.
“Come down to the (borough) office. Ask questions, talk to people,” he urged. “And if you know something is not true, don’t repeat it.”
“Just be gentle in your comments, that’s all I ask,” Collini said.
Editor’s note: One date for this summer’s Gathering on Grant events was omitted in the original version of this story.