COEUR d'ALENE - Lake City Development Corp. Executive Director Tony Berns said he prefers to conduct future interviews with The Press through email to ensure accurate information is relayed through the paper.

Berns said Wednesday that the written format could be a better way to communicate contextual issues on urban renewal projects with a lot of moving parts.

He also said that the agency is still talking to the newspaper - that all avenues of communication are open with the public - but email correspondence could simplify messages coming from the agency.

"Written communication between the LCDC and Press will enhance the accuracy of the information shared with the public, especially where more complicated/involved issues are being discussed," Berns wrote. "Written responses on issues/questions are just an additional step in assuring that information is accurately communicated."

Berns and urban renewal critic Mary Souza had a disagreement about policy pertaining to LCDC's record request format which began at the end of September. The Press inquired about the standing of the dispute last week.

Berns said the decision to prefer email correspondence, which he told the paper on Monday, didn't have anything to do with the records dispute.

He said he'd been thinking about making the decision for some time, and was clear that the decision wasn't part of the records request issue.

"I have been thinking for quite a while how better to enhance communications with the Press," he wrote. "This added step of written responses had nothing to do with Mrs. Souza's request."