Town board, planning board and zoning board meetings are a regular part of Bethlehem resident Bob Jasinski’s monthly schedule. While many residents are not even aware of when and where these local government meeting are, Jasinski makes it a point to attend and take part. When his schedule has a conflict, he looks to his daughter to cover for him. A dedicated community member, Jasinski said he feels being a `regular` at these meetings is simply part of his civic duty.
`I feel it is so important to take part in local government. It is our only chance to have a voice, to be heard,` said Jasinski.
Jasinski, who has run for town supervisor several times, said he worries that people today are too busy with work, school and families to slow down and make time to care about local politics. He said he is disappointed that more people do not find the time, although he conceded that the times of town meetings are not always suitable for `working people.`
`In my town meetings are sometimes held at 5:30 which doesn’t work for a lot of people with full time jobs and kids to care for,` said Jasinski.
He the town recently held a riverfront meeting that he had to miss because of its timing.
`One of my biggest concerns is making sure our town holds these meetings at the time that works for the majority of people. We need to get people out and involved, and we need to make sure it all works with today’s busy world,` said Jasinski.
From Bethlehem to Clifton Park, those community members who are familiar faces at local meetings said they are grateful for their chances to speak up to those who make the decisions that affect things such as taxes and land development.
Norm Goldman of Clifton Park said he has been attending town board meetings since the 1980s. He said he has regularly voiced his concerns, and feels he has made a difference.
`Years ago, there were issues over the development of Route 146, that is when I started attending. After that I continued to stay on top of local government, and I am often given a lot of positive feedback,` said Goldman.
Goldman said residents and taxpayers need to realize when they get involved they truly can have an impact on local government.
Like Jasinski, Goldman said he worries about the lack of attendance, especially among the younger generation.
`I hear young people say they do not have the time to attend meetings, and that is when I remind them they can always take advantage of local television stations that broadcast meetings,` said Goldman.
It is not uncommon for `regulars` at town meetings to run for office.
In Scotia, Jerry Moore has been attending board of education meetings since 1999. He has run for the board in previous years, including just last year. He often takes the floor during the meetings to voice his opinions regarding the Scotia-Glenville Central School District.
`I began attending school board meetings because system and staff concerns almost always trumped the concerns of parents and the community. That has changed throughout the entire organization, and board members are now far more willing not just to consider, but also to use the concerns of others in making their decisions,` said Moore.
Moore said he feels residents are missing their ability to make positive change. He feels the dynamics with local government have changed for the better and is now more about open communication.
`It takes more time and effort (to attend), but it generates the kind of good will that saves time and avoids conflict in the future. There is more of a can-do attitude. ‘Customer satisfaction’ has greater weight today,` said Moore.
Community members who take part in local government seem to have one thing in common: a love for their hometowns. Even when they feel their local officials are making the choices they may or may not agree with, they seem to have a great sense of civilian responsibility.
`Sometimes I am much more active than others, depending on the cause and the fluidity of the administration. You always know when there is a hot topic because the room is filled with new faces who otherwise never attend the meetings. What people need to know is that it’s those other meetings that lead up to the big decision makers that everyone comes out for. No matter what, I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to have my voice heard,` said Goldman.
SIDEBAR: Getting involved
By ANN MARIE FRENCH, Contributing writer
As more candidates step into the ring for a presidential election that is more than a year away, political promises and positions are rampant. But all the focus on the national political arena can take the spotlight off the people who make decisions every day that have a direct effect on people’s lives ` local elected leaders.
Often, local politicians are more accessible than national ones, but many citizens don’t take advantage of that direct line to the political process.
For some, they simply don’t know where to start.
`I think people should try to educate themselves about what the issues are what kind of government we have,` said Valerie Keehn, mayor of Saratoga Springs.
The City of Saratoga Springs functions under a commission-style form of government, while many other municipalities in the region have a town board, which includes a supervisor.
Regardless of their form of government ` based on a commission like Saratoga Springs, or featuring a town board and supervisor — each municipality has regularly scheduled meetings that are open to the public. Most meetings offer people a chance to share their opinions and ask questions.
Municipalities differ in how they take public comments so it pays to know the procedure. Some offer a comment period at the beginning and end of each meeting, while others offer it only once. Some place no limitation on the public comment session while others limit the number of minutes each person can speak.
`I think one of the fairly easy things to do is to come to a city council meeting,` said Keehn. `The agenda is usually online.`
Our town online
Like Saratoga Springs, many municipalities have their own Web sites. Even the barest Web sites provide the names of the town’s elected officials and appointed department heads, and some sites include a means to contact them as well. If the information isn’t online, there are also listings for government offices in the front of local telephone books.
Many towns, including Clifton Park, offer detailed Web sites that allow residents to view meeting agendas and minutes of past meetings.
In Clifton Park, the minutes are usually available about two weeks after the meeting.
`The minutes will not be on the Web site until they are approved by the town board,` said Patricia O’Donnell, clerk for Clifton Park, explaining the lag time.
O’Donnell said that resolutions passed by the town board may be picked up any time in the town clerk’s office. The resolutions passed by the board provide information on the action taken, but meeting minutes reflect the discussion of board members, town staff, and the public that took place before the resolution was passed.
In many cases, that background information may be as important as the resolution.
Beyond the board
In addition to the town board, there are a host of other boards and committees, such as planning and zoning board of appeals, that assist in shaping the laws and developments within a town.
In most municipalities these boards are staffed by volunteers who spend a significant amount of time preparing for these meetings. Eligibility to serve on the boards typically only requires residency in the municipality, however some boards ask applicants to have relevant professional history and may mandate some form of training.
The planning boards review projects coming into the town’s building and planning departments and make sure that the proposals meet town code. All planning board meetings are open to the public.
Public participation in the process varies by town, but those towns that pride themselves on `open government` often allow residents to comment or ask questions throughout the process rather than just at designated public hearings.
There are requirements that dictate how public notification of projects must be made, and in most municipalities this simply requires a legal notice to be put into the official newspaper.
Typically, each January the municipalities have organizational meetings at which time they announce what committees the town has, who will serve on them, where the town will do its banking, and other seemingly minute details of town business. At that time, the town will also designate one or two area papers as the `official` newspaper. Any legal notices or announcements will be sent to these newspapers for publication. Legal notices tend to be placed in the classifieds section of the paper and in small print.
See for yourself
Keehn said residents should not rely on the legal notices or the newspaper headlines to formulate their opinions.
`They (reporters) try to hit the highlights, but so much is lost in interpretation,` said Keehn.
She said she encourages residents to use newspaper articles as one source of information, but suggests they go beyond the story and seek out the document or information they are looking for and ask an expert on the subject if they can.
`Don’t rely on someone else to tell you what to think,` said Keehn. `Getting involved is really, really important.`
Heather Mallozzi, director of building and planning for the town of Malta, said the town keeps its Web site updated and sends out regular newsletters, but residents also need to take it upon themselves to be educated about the town’s business.
`It is really important for residents to keep up to date on town happenings,` Mallozzi said. `People should be aware of the town’s comprehensive plan so that people know what the vision is for the entire town.`
Typically comprehensive plans are developed over a period of time under the direction of a volunteer committee, a professional engineering firm and public input.
`Specifically, people should be aware of their neighborhood as identified in the comprehensive plan. Residents should also be aware of the overlay districts and what standards are in place, as well as any linkage studies that show trail and roadway connections,` said Mallozzi. `Open space and recreation plans are also very important for people to be aware of.`
These plans are typically approved by the town board and are available for review in the planner’s office, complete with the associated maps, as well as the town clerk’s office.
Residents who look at their town’s list of committees may be surprised at what they find. Many towns have committees related to veterans, trails, people with disabilities, historical preservation, seniors and young people. Most were formed as a result of citizens identifying the need for such a group to exist. These committees offer recommendations to the town board.
Where to start
For general town questions, the town clerk’s office is a likely source of information.
Clifton Park’s O’Donnell said all town clerks perform the same basic job, although some also serve as tax collector.
The clerk’s office is responsible for `tons of research` and a variety of licenses
she said.
One of the many licenses they hand out is for peddlers. O’Donnell said anyone coming to a person’s door selling something should be able to produce a town license signed by the clerk.
Additionally, she said, new residents typically interact with the clerk’s office as their first association with the town. The town clerk is able to provide information about dog licensing, notary services and the schedule of town meetings and public hearings.
`That’s what we’re here for,` O’Donnell said. `To answer questions and help in any way we can.`
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