📅 We will provide notice of all meetings at least one week in advance by posting on our website and notifying the media and public via email.
📂 Meeting agendas and related documents will be posted at least 48 hours before meetings and archived online for easy public access.
📝 Meeting minutes will be posted online within two weeks of each meeting.
🎤 Members of the public will be allowed to speak before votes on both agenda and non-agenda items, whether attending in person or remotely.
📹 We support live-streaming meetings and posting video recordings online. If not already in place, we are committed to implementing this as soon as possible.
🔒 Government meetings should be conducted in public. Executive sessions will only be held in rare cases and in compliance with the New York State Open Meetings Law. We support requiring a two-thirds vote for executive sessions instead of a simple majority.
💰 Elected officials should complete an Annual Financial Disclosure Form, which will be posted publicly on our government website, just as state officials do.
🚫 While allowed under the law, we will not hold private political caucus meetings, as they serve no valid purpose at the local level for discussing public business.
📜 Information about New York’s FOIL will be prominently displayed on our website. We will proactively post as much public information as possible to reduce the need for FOIL requests. A user-friendly online FOIL request formwill also be available.
⏳ We are committed to timely responses to FOIL requests. Quarterly status reports on pending FOIL requests will be requested from the Town Clerk or appropriate staff.
We encourage other government entities to adopt these best practices for a more open and accountable democracy.
