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Charlie Greene posted approximately 200 signs around the Owasco Lake watershed in mid-November, warning people of lethal toxins in the water and telling them to stay away from it. Greene posted them without the authority of the Cayuga County Health Department, and after the department had said there were no more detectable levels of blue-green algae toxins in the raw or treated water sampled at filtration plants.

The red-and-white printed signs taped on utility poles and light poles were taken down shortly after they were put up, though it is not clear by whom.

Greene said in an email Wednesday morning to Cayuga County Legislature Chairman Keith Batman, Health Department Director Kathleen Cuddy, Legislator Michael Didio and Legislator Aileen McNabb-Coleman that he believes the health department "and its agents performed the act of theft" of his signs. He said he contacted Eileen O'Connor, director of the Environmental Health Division, and asked "for compensation of my time and materials." 

"Because the signs were protected by free speech, were placed within the public right of way, and because the Health Department and its agents had no more right to the utility poles than does the public, I believe that I should receive just compensation and a very public apology," Greene wrote.

The Auburn Police Department conducted an investigation of Greene's actions, and Deputy Chief Roger Anthony said an ordinance does specify that signs cannot be posted on public property owned by the city. He said the department investigated the signs especially because of how many there were and because the person who posted them was known. Officers spoke to Greene, Anthony said, and he agreed not to post any more.

Batman said as far as he's been able to determine, no one from the county removed Greene's signs. He said he stood by O'Connor's previous statements that the signs could cause confusion and should a true public health emergency arise, people may be less apt to take it seriously.

"It's the boy who cried wolf, and that's our concern," Batman said. "I don't think there's anything to apologize for. We're all concerned about this issue. Charlie is going at it one way, which he has a perfect right to do, and we're going about it another way, and that's public safety."

Batman said Greene is "well-meaning and intelligent" but said his methods are distracting people from the focus of what needs to be done in the short-term. To the county, that's finding a solution to the water treatment problem of removing toxins, Batman said, and then the longer-term issue of cleaning up the lake.

Greene also said in his email that he has contacted the New York State Center for Dispute Settlement and provided notice to O'Connor and county attorney Fred Westphal. Kelly Porter, director of the center's Cayuga County office, said she could not comment specifically about the matter due to client confidentiality, but said the center does help peacefully resolve all kinds of disputes without a court referral. Both parties, however, must be present and agreeable to a mediation, she added.