Lombard trustee doesn't want public's e-mail made public

Lombard Trustee Richard Tross says he'd rather face legal trouble than compromise his constituents' privacy.

Tross voted Thursday against a state-mandated policy regulating electronic messages of elected officials.

"When a resident contacts me … they have every reason to expect confidentiality, whether it be at Jewel, at church, on the phone or via e-mail," Tross said. "They don't need their name bandied about.

"Any (e-mail) user not only has a right and an expectation of privacy, but should demand it."

The goal of the new policy is to ensure officials do the public's business in open meetings in view of the public rather than using e-mail to avoid scrutiny.

"We don't do things privately," Tross emphasized.

But, he said, government business is different than private communications between one elected official and a constituent.

"When they (residents) communicate with me, they can expect confidentiality," Tross said.

He later said to the village attorney, "Tom (Bayer), you're going to have to defend me."

Despite the potential for an e-mail possibly becoming public because of the state law, Village President William Mueller urged residents not to be discouraged from contacting elected officials.

"We want to hear from you," Mueller said. "We don't want this to deter you in any way from contacting any of us here on the board or the village staff."