Mayor: No tax dollars spent on ‘One Medina’

Photo by Tom Rivers – A “One Medina” sign is displayed along West Center Street. The campaign seeks to dissolve the village of Medina and merge the towns of Shelby and Ridgeway into one town.

MEDINA – Mayor Andrew Meier is refuting claims from the Ridgeway town supervisor that village tax dollars have been used for the “One Medina” campaign.

Brian Napoli, the town supervisor, criticized Meier in a chain email for not telling the truth about the funding for One Medina “after bragging that it is privately funded without taxpayer money.”

Meier has been critical of Ridgeway and Shelby for hiring a PR consultant and attorney to oppose a dissolution plan being considered by the village. He said the village hasn’t spent money on “One Medina.”

“Absolutely no taxpayer dollars have been spent on One Medina projects,” Meier said in a mass email to village and town officials, as well as to local reporters. “It is a private group that has no affiliation with the village whatsoever.”

Meier sent the first email on Friday to village and town officials, as well as the reporters. He is trying to set up a meeting among the village and two towns to discuss shared services, consolidation and possibly dissolution. Napoli said he wants dissolution off the agenda.

Village Trustee Michael Sidari has asked Meier and the other officials to remove reporters from the emails. But Meier, in an email this morning, wants reporters to stay in the loop.

“This is a very important policy discussion, and the people deserve access to the substance of our communications,” Meier said. “Inclusion of the press promotes transparency and is wholly appropriate.”