Fostoria swapping out signs for city-office visitors

One sign is being replaced by another in city of Fostoria offices in the wake of an anonymous email recently distributed to city officials, media and others. The anonymous email, with the "from" line reading "unlawfullawfostoria," accuses the city of having an "unconstitutional no recording policy," as designated on signs bearing Safety Service Director Eric Keckler's signature that were posted in February on walls alongside the doors of various city offices. "No audio, video or photographs permitted beyond this point," reads the original sign at the top, in all capital letters. It goes on to say, "The City of Fostoria values the privacy and Constitutional rights of the victims crime, visitors and employees. Further, the city respects the authority of the Ohio Constitution, U.S. Constitution and Ohio Revised Code." Then, in all capitals, it reads: "The City of Fostoria hereby denies access to this area to anyone attempting to photograph or audio or video record the persons, papers and effects beyond this point." Mayor Don Mennel informed other city leaders Thursday morning that the signs in question would be replaced in specific parts of various offices with one reading, in all capital letters, "No public access beyond this point." According to a story posted this year on www.freedomforum.org, "Courts have approved limits or even bans on recordings in certain government buildings and spaces if these rules are for security purposes or to maintain order in hallways or during meetings." Mennel said the municipal building downtown has in recent years had people enter and simply take videotape. Hence, the changes in the wording of the signs. "There are First-Amendment-rights people who come in with a camera and they video what's going on in offices and things like that," Mennel said. "If somebody's working at their desk with confidential information they might have — let's say the prosecutor's working on a case that has names on it — that's private information that should be recorded and viewed in public. "So, we have no problem with them coming in, but they need to stay in the public areas and not (enter) restricted areas." Mennel said complaints have been few and he referred to a common situation regarding city government and the public: "The counter for the water office — the public is allowed on one side, the employees are on the other side of the counter," he said. "It's just common sense."