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CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. The agendas and supporting documents for most government meetings will have to be posted online at least a day in advance, according to a bill that Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law last week, as an amendment to New Yorks Open Meetings laws.
Despite the new amendment being what Abraham Zambrano, Croton Village Manager, calls an unfunded mandate, he said he believes the law will help the public become more informed. Whatever way we can get this to the public, I think helps us, he said.
The Croton Village Board began using software called Novus Agenda to post agendas and background information online days before the boards monthly meeting. Correspondence with the village, as well as any studies or proposed resolutions to be discussed, for example, are regularly posted on the site, Croton officials said.
The new law requires that supporting documents for public bodies be made available on the agency's website if it is regularly updated and they utilize a high speed Internet connection. Municipalities that do not yet have a system for posting supporting documents online, like Novus Agenda, could be in for a shock, according to Zambrano.
Although the software cost the village about $23,000, Zambrano estimates it saves between $3,000 and $4,000 in reams of paper annually -- paying for itself in roughly seven years, when using low-end savings estimates.
I think for municipalities that dont do anything, its going to be an eye-opening experience, Zambrano said.
Assembly member Sandy Galef (D District 90) co-sponsored the legislation and said the amendment should cut down on time-consuming FOIL requests because of proactively posting the documents.
Otherwise people have to do FOIL and they get the information so much after the fact, the timing is bad, the public input is not there at the proper time, and I just think all information should be available as quickly as possible, Galef said. Government should have nothing to hide, everything should be out in the open and then elected officials and the public make their own decisions.
"It relates to the frustration of people that attend meetings and can't follow what is going on, said Robert Freeman, of the New York State Committee on Open Government, which initially recommended the amendment. The board sitting at the front of the room refers to page two, fourth paragraph, and the audience doesn't have a clue what they're talking about," he said. "This legislation will make the Open Meetings Law that much more meaningful."
One of the village boards biggest critics, in terms of open government, is Croton attorney Roseann Schuyler, who also serves on the village zoning board. Schuyler founded the League for Open Government in Croton (LOGIC).
Where the new law is concerned, I think the biggest impact that will have on our village is other boards will have to make their agenda and supporting documents available to the public, Schuyler said.
Zambrano confirmed that this would have to happen under the amended law. The amendment will also apply to school districts. The law goes into effect on Feb. 2, 2012.
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