[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of New Paltz as indicated
in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Public access to records — See Ch. 109.
[Adopted 11-13-1974]
The public and representatives of the press or news media shall be permitted
to attend executive sessions of the Town Board of the Town of New Paltz with
the following exceptions:
[Adopted 6-22-1977 by L.L.
No. 2-1977]
The purpose of this article is to provide notice to the public and the
news media of the regular and special meetings of the Town Board at which
public business is officially transacted, in compliance with the Open Meetings
Law (Article 7 of the Public Officers Law). Such notice is designed to facilitate
public attendance at such meetings to observe and listen to the deliberations
and decisions of this Board.
B.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
- NEWS MEDIA
- A newspaper that is printed not less frequently than once a week in which legal notices may be published or a radio or television station that regularly broadcasts news.
- NOTICE
- Includes but shall not be limited to written or oral information relating to the date, time and place where a meeting is to be held.
The following locations are hereby designated as the sites where notice
of all meetings held by the Town Board shall be posted:
A.
The official bulletin board.
Any or all of the following officially designated newspapers or newspapers
of general circulation within the Town of New Paltz and television or radio
stations are hereby designated as the news media that shall receive notice
of the meetings of the Town Board:
A.
The official newspaper of the Town of New Paltz.
A.
The Town Clerk shall be responsible for providing notice
to the public and the news media as provided in this article.
B.
The Town Clerk shall, upon request, whenever possible,
provide notice to any person of the date, time and place of a meeting of the
Town Board, whether the request for such information is made in person, in
writing or by telephone; provided, however, that a written request requiring
a written notice shall be accompanied by a properly stamped self-addressed
envelope and that a telephone request requiring the Town Clerk to return a
long-distance call shall not be honored unless the requester accepts the charges
for such call.
A.
The public shall be informed of meetings scheduled at least one week in advance by the posting of a notice at least 72 hours in advance of such meetings in locations designated in § 24-4 herein.
B.
The newspaper designated in § 24-5 herein shall be informed of a meeting scheduled at least one week in advance at least 72 hours in advance of such meeting by mail or by telephone or personal delivery of the notice to an officer or employee of the news media, as follows:
(1)
Notice provided by mail to the news media shall be sent
by mail at least one week in advance of such meetings to ensure that notice
will be provided to the news media at least 72 hours in advance of a meeting.
(2)
When notice to the news media is personally delivered,
the person delivering the notice shall obtain a receipt signed by an officer
or employee of the news media, which receipt shall also show the time and
date thereof and the title of such officer or employee and shall state that
notice has been provided in compliance with § 94 of the Public Officers
Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See now § 104 of the Public Officers Law.
(3)
When notice to the news media is given by telephone,
the person making such telephone call shall obtain the name and title of the
officer or employee to whom the notice is given and shall write down such
information and the time and date of such call as provided herein.
A.
When the Town Board schedules meetings in advance that
are to be held at specific times and locations and on specific dates, a single
notice may be provided to the public and the news media.
When the time, date or location of a scheduled meeting is changed, the Town Clerk shall, as soon as practicable, post notices showing the change in date, time or location of a meeting at the sites designated by § 24-4 herein and provide notice to the news media designated to receive notice by § 24-5 herein as provided in § 24-7 or 24-8, as the case may be, of this article.
The Town Clerk shall keep a log or other record in which there shall
be entered the following information relating to giving of public notice under
this article:
A.
The date of posting of the public notice, the date or
descriptive schedule of the meeting or meetings for which notice was given
and the name and title of the person who posted the notice.
B.
If notice is given to the news media by mail, the date
of mailing of the same, the date of descriptive schedule of the meeting or
meetings for which the notice has been mailed and the name and title of the
person who mailed such notice.
C.
If notice to the news media is given by personal delivery,
the time and date of delivery of the same, the date or descriptive schedule
of the meeting or meetings for which the notice was delivered, the name and
title of the officer or employee to whom it was delivered and the name and
title of the person who delivered the notice.
D.
If notice to the news media is given by telephone, the
time and date of such telephone call, the date or descriptive schedule of
the meeting or meetings for which such notice is given, the name and title
of the officer or employee to whom it was given and the name and title of
the person who gave such notice.
