The Board finds that it is in the best interests of the Town
of Hempstead to conduct the operations and functions of Town government
in a manner that achieves the highest standards of openness and transparency,
facilitating public access to Town records, documents and information
that is legally available, and in so doing, engendering greater awareness,
input and public participation in the conduct of the affairs of Town
government.
The Supervisor of the Town shall act to ensure that each Town
elected official, department heads, and their designees shall receive
a copy of this chapter, except that failure to receive a copy shall
not absolve any person from his or her obligation to fully comply
with its provisions. The Supervisor of the Town shall additionally,
upon the effective date of this chapter, cause the contents thereof
to be published upon the Town website.
If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or
part of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person, individual,
corporation, firm, partnership, entity or circumstance, shall be adjudged
by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional,
such order or judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the
remainder thereof but shall be confined in its operation to the clause,
sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part of this chapter
or in its application to the person, individual, corporation, firm,
partnership, entity, or circumstance directly involved in the controversy
in which such judgment or order shall be rendered.
To afford sufficient time for compliance with the provisions
of this chapter, the provisions contained herein shall take effect
180 days after filing with the Secretary of State.