Thursday, April 7, 2016

The lights have been turned back on

The issue of email alerts regarding scheduled Select Board meetings have been resolved. In a brief exchange of emails and phone between Dick Horner and myself we came to an amicable solution as outlined in the following emails.

Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2016 9:23 AM
Subject: RE: Selectboard Meeting Email Alerts
 
I do not want to prolong this debate since the new town manager will be starting in 10 days. I am aware of constant contact and I do know how to use it. The original purpose of constant contact was to inform people of special events, press releases and other information which distribution of is not covered by statute. By statute I am required to post legal notices in 3 places in town and post the notices on the town website which I do. The town attorney has always advised that the town should not go beyond what is required by statute because it can lead to charges of discrimination because some people get the legal notice and others may not get the notices.  By following statute everyone is treated equally with equal access to the legal notices.

Richard L. Horner
Killington Town Planner
Zoning Administrator
Interim Town Manager
2706 River Road
Dick@town.killington.vt.us
802-422-3242


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Dick,
 
This is to confirm our conversation of today regarding email alerts for the Select Board meetings. Your understanding of the legality of public notices is based upon relatively strict legal guidelines in your capacity as Town Planner and Zoning administrator. You did acknowledge that a Town Manager has much greater leeway in the way information is disseminated because a Town Manager has to manage not only municipal functions but also community relations.
Based on that premise you came around to the idea that reinstating the email alerts is in fact beneficial and you will work with Amy Morrison to keep the townspeople informed of the scheduled Select Board meetings.
We agreed that going forward the town will be posting the alerts via the Constant Contact software platform.
I thank you for your time, patience and effort in getting this matter resolved.
 
Sincerely,
 
Vito

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