The New York Association of Towns lists 200 individual town websites (including MilanÕs). Many of them have very basic information. You can take a look at www.nytowns.org and click "links."

The new Milan town administration is making some changes to the relatively-new site that now include the posting of upcoming meeting times, meeting agendas and meeting minutes once they are approved, and town financial reports. The "SupervisorÕs welcome" will be undated every few weeks or so and summarizes the main issues of the day.

Today technology allows something as simple as meeting minutes, already typed on a computer, to be posted on a website as easily as they can be saved and filed anywhere on a computer. No need for a paid "webmaster." And the costs of maintaining a website are less than the cost of a single phone line.

Take a look at www.milan-ny.gov and let the town know if you have any ideas on how to make it more useful. Milan Fire-Rescue has for some time maintained an excellent site at www.milanfirerescue.org and there is of course, Milan Concerns site at www.milanconcerns.com

Red Hook Citizens take to the web Red Hook citizens have formed a group called "Red Hook Concerns" based on the Milan group. They now have a lot of information at www.redhookconcerns.com and are looking for people interested in participating. The Town of Red Hook has an excellent site at www.redhook.org that posts a lot of information including meeting minutes.

The Town of Saugerties has been dealing with the issue of mining in residential areas for some years. And when the issue came up in Red Hook and Milan, residents who wanted to participate in an informed and constructive way were able to learn from SaugertiesÕ experience. SaugertiesÕ website is at www.saugertiesconcerns.com

Hudson Valley Club This is another good example of how communities can share experiences. Any citizen who wants to participate constructively in the review of the Hudson Valley Club has to learn about many new things like NY StateÕs "SEQRA" review process. Related experience can be researched at www.catskillheritage.org (click "issues" at the bottom) - the website for a citizenÕs group in Shandaken and Woodstock where there is a nearby proposal for what they call a "mega-resort" on 1,900 acres. But in that plan only 573 acres are to be developed. 1,387 acres are promised to be preserved. An there would only be a couple of hundred lodging units and a hotel. The Hudson Valley Club proposal includes 975 homes in addition to the golf facilities on 2,000 acres. But the review process and many issues are similar.

And for information on Pine PlainsÕ new Comprehensive Plan or the Hudson Valley Club, several documents can be found at Community Planning and Environmental AssociatesÕ at www.planningbetterplaces.com

There was a suggestion at the last public scoping meeting on the HVC that even more information be made available through the web. That will have to be taken on either by a citizensÕ group, the retained planning firm, or Pine Plains as a town.

Milan resident Bill Jeffway can be reached at bill@milanconcerns.com or 758-1818.

©Gazette Advertiser 2004

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