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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
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Dear Bob:
As a subscriber to the Community Trader, and as a reader of your column "Just Wondering", in the April 6, 2005 issues, I was shocked and dismayed at the content, tone and number of misstatements contained in your column; especially, in the sixth paragraph, as it relates to my company and to me, as its President and principal owner.
My understanding of the newspaper business is that a reporter has an obligation to verify the truth of the facts concerning a story that he writes, while a newspaper Editor has an even higher responsibility to make certain that his reporters thoroughly check the facts. Moreover, I believe that an Editor has the further obligation to make certain that all matters printed in the paper are truthful. In the referenced article, you seem to have failed in both regards.
I note that you published Mayor James B. Cheney's letter in full. I was pleased to see that the Mayor had expressed his own concerns, many of which mirror those that I have.
To set the record straight, my company neither "moved out of Rochester" nor has it "been 'invited' to move out of Geneva because of environmental concerns." Your statements in this regard, made without confirming these or any other facts about my company with me, are likely libelous to my company, and to me as the principal owner of the company. Moreover, had you taken the time to check, I believe you could easily have learned, since it is all a matter of public record, that any environmental issues were resolved years ago to the satisfaction of all parties involved. In fact, certain manufacturing processes used in prior years have been completely discontinued by the company.
Had you contacted me, you might also have inquired why, if there were serious issues, would I be interested in any possible move into my own back yard? Had I been asked, I could also have told you, on a strictly confidential basis, that any possible relocation would have been because of our company's changed and on-going space requirements. I could also have discussed with you the perfectly appropriate reasons why, on a preliminary basis, any possible relocation discussion needed to remain private.
I have a deep concern that your article has created a serious problem for our company through the premature disclosure of private, confidential, business information. In fact, it may well have irreparably injured the delicate negotiations that are needed when any relocation occurs. Although you improperly identified my company in your article, you did not even have the courtesy to contact me to ask these obvious questions.
I was "Just Wondering" why did you not even bother to call?
On behalf of my company and me, I hereby demand a published full retraction and apology. Even so, I do not believe that a retraction and apology will entirely remove the unnecessary and serious damage that has already occurred. I hope that the damage does not continue and, in any event, I reserve all rights for myself and the company.
Albert A. Cauwels
April 27, 2005
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