MARIETTA - The City Council is debating whether to create a policy that would restrict what an elected official can post on the city's Web site.

The discussion was sparked by an Aug. 27 "Mayor's Statement," posted on the Web site's main page, where Mayor Bill Dunaway sounded off on Marietta resident Larry Wills, who occasionally writes columns about city actions to newspapers such as the Journal.

Wills accused Dunaway of "character assassination."

Council members Philip Goldstein and Rev. Anthony Coleman asked that the letter be removed, with Goldstein saying, "an attack on the character of one of our citizens has no place on the city Web site."

Councilmember Annette Lewis said she is opposed to using city resources to support or promote personal comments or opinions.

City Manager Bill Bruton said there are no restrictions on what elected officials post to the city's Web site.

During Wednesday's committee meeting, Dunaway again took issue with Wills, accusing him of not registering to vote, "illegally" claiming two homestead exemptions "until the city caught him," billing the city with false bills when he lost his recycling contract with the city, and threatening to sue the city. Dunaway said Wills attacks the city staff and counsel and it cannot go unanswered.

"I stand by every word I wrote," Dunaway said, saying if anyone had a problem with that they could take it up legally.

Goldstein and Council members Van Pearlberg and Holly Walquist said they support having a place on the city's site to post messages to constituents.

"I think it is very important that we explore new ways to communicate with citizens and them with us," Walquist said.

But Goldstein, Pearlberg and Walquist are in agreement that such messages should not serve as personal attacks to malign anyone's character.

"If it gets into an issue of character, where it can be interpreted as you're demeaning them, you're slinging mud, libel, slander, this is the city's official Web site, and where it puts the city in jeopardy of liability because it is the city's official Web site, I have a concern there," Goldstein said.

Lewis said if an elected official wants to give an opinion, they can do so at the podium like any other citizen, write a letter to the editor or create their own Web site. But she believes opinions should be kept off the city's Web site.

"We should not attack companies, businesses or anybody," she said.

Walquist asked if it was possible to have a commentary space on the Web site, such as a blog, where citizens can comment.

"My hope is that it would be used as a question and answer tool, a communication tool and a comment tool, not a mud-slinging tool. I would like the council to discuss this," she said.

But Dunaway said from what he understands from the Georgia Municipal Association, if the city allows a blog it has to take the good with the bad. Dunaway cited an instance in another city which had a blog, where a blogger didn't like a particular restaurant, and disparaged the restaurant on the government site.

"I would be very hesitant to do that," Goldstein said.

The council will continue discussing a proposed policy at its Oct. 12 Committee of the Whole meeting.