MAMAKATING — Eileen Rogers, the current Deputy Town Supervisor to the town of Mamakating, held her first ward meeting on January 27th, and Councilman Gary Forthoffer held his ward meeting on February 6th.

“It is a great opportunity,” Rogers said, for people to speak to their representative one on one about any problems or praises they may have in their neighborhoods.

But at the inaugural ward meeting there was only one resident in attendance. The second ward meeting did not have any residents in attendance. The town board hopes to change that.

Town Supervisor Janet Lybolt, Highway Superintendent Rob Hufcut, Councilman Gary Forthoffer and his family attended the first meeting as a show of support. Hufcut noted that he would love to make all of the ward meetings in order to allow for people to directly speak with him about the highway department.

“Safety is my number one priority,” Hufcut said and he wants to assure people of that through these meetings.

Lybolt later stated that the Ward Meeting schedule has been sent out to all the local newspapers and ward meetings will be mentioned at the regular town board meetings to encourage residents to attend. She also noted, “any new venture takes time to catch on.”

At the start of the meeting, Rogers, Forthoffer, and the few others that attended discussed ways to get people more involved in local government.

Meetings are advertised on the website and in the newspapers, but more advertising needs to be done, the group noted. The group also assumed that these meetings are the first, and it would take some time for the word to get out and that more people will hopefully attend future meetings.

Forthoffer predicted that by time the second round of meetings start this summer; hopefully, the word will be out, and more people will attend.

Forthoffer's daughter suggested the use of social media to get the word out there. Forthoffer's wife and daughter agreed that Facebook or Twitter would be a great way to reach the town's residents and send out reminders, and they hope the board will utilize it in the future.

Both Rogers and Forthoffer talked to their neighbors and others that they come across to remind people that they can and should discuss any neighborhood issues at these meetings. Forthoffer noted that when most people are busy with their own lives and on top of the weather, it makes it difficult for people to reach out and attend. In addition, Forthoffer's wife suggested that many people probably do not know what ward they are in, and that is also part of the challenge.

For ward maps, residents can go to the town board website. Residents should click the ward links that are located next to each councilperson's name on https://www.mamakating.org/175/Town-Board.

The hope is to get more people involved to speak with their representatives to make a stronger and happier Mamakating. The new town board established these ward meetings for this purpose. As Rogers said, “This is a government for the people and by the people.”