Rockville Resident Starts Online Petition Condemning FOIAs for

Email of Residents Who Oppose Taxpayer Bailout of RedGate Golf Course

Rockville, Monday, February 21, 2011. -- Art Stigile, Hungerford resident, announced

the launching of an online petition objecting to Joe Jordan’s FOIA request for copies of

email between Art and Rockville City Government email addresses. 

“You don’t have to be a political genius to see that Mr. Jordan’s action is designed to

intimidate and silence critics of using taxpayers' dollars to bailout the Golf Course,”

Art says,  repeating his statement made at the February 7, 2010 Citizen’s Forum.

“It’s a perfect example of why many, if not most, Americans view politics with disgust,” he says. 

According to Art, “Mr. Jordan has been the loudest advocate for using taxpayers’ dollars

to bail out the Golf Course, and I have been the strongest opponent of this wasteful spending. 

Golfers should pay for their own recreation, not ask for hand-outs from taxpayers.”

“I thought that by speaking out at Citizen’s Forum on Feb. 7th, the public exposure might

cause Mr. Jordan to rethink his political tactics,” says Art.  “However, I recently learned

that Mr. Jordan is back at it and has expanded his request for my email.”

“He has also filed a separate request for email about RedGate between the City Manager,

the City Finance Officer, and the Director of Parks and Recreation,” Art said.  “Let’s stop

trying to drag City Staff into the political debate.”

“I fully support Mr. Jordan’s request, he absolutely has a legal right to see public records,”

Art said.  “But just because it’s legal doesn’t make it right.  Mr. Jordan represents the City. 

His political tactics send the wrong message to residents that if they want to participate,

they better make sure they don’t disagree with the Chairman of the RedGate Advisory Committee.”

“The Community needs to send a strong message that the politics of intimidation is not

the real Rockville Way,” says Art.  “Therefore, I am asking everyone who is appalled by

these tactics to go to my website at www.ROCKTRASH.org and sign my petition condemning

this behavior.”

“Let’s have a vigorous debate about the substantive issues,” says Art, “but let’s stay away

 from the kind of garbage that taints all of us, even when we are pursuing honorable means.”

About ROCKTRASH

Art Stigile created Rocktrash in 2007 to help organize City residents to lobby the Mayor

and Council to implement once-weekly trash service.  His community piloted once-weekly

service, and they loved it.  Incredibly, a small minority of residents opposed switching to a

modern trash removal service.  The Council eventually approved once-weekly service, and

it has been implemented successfully throughout the City, saving each customer $100 per

year in fees.  Art said it seems appropriate to bring Rocktrash out of retirement again to

ask City residents for their help in cleaning up a different kind of mess. 

Contact:

Art Stigile

312 W Edmonston Dr

Rockville, MD 20852

artstigile@gmail.com

301-605-7593