NEVERSINK — The Neversink Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) board and committee members may soon be getting their own emails following discussion between ZBA Chair Ian Constable and the town board during their Wednesday night meeting.

While discussing communication and transparency, Constable raised the idea of establishing town-issued email addresses for committee and board members.

He reasoned that dedicated emails could assist with Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests, while also streamlining communication and improving recordkeeping.

“[We] don’t have personal emails for our board,” Constable noted, asking about the possibility of getting “[our] own emails this way… if we got FOILed or something like that.”

Town Clerk Staci Conjura reminded Constable that the matter would need to be reviewed, especially in terms of cost and logistics.

She added that although the increase would likely be insubstantial, it would still require further review.

The discussion also raised the question of whether individual email accounts would be needed for every board and committee, or if shared accounts could be used in some instances.

“I just wonder if… you have a joint email instead of five,” said Deputy Supervisor Ric Coombe Jr., citing boards that receive limited correspondence throughout the year.

It was also noted that some boards, such as Parks and Recreation, already utilize town email accounts in some capacity, though not necessarily on an individual basis for each member.

Conjura said she will look into what email accounts are currently included in the town’s system and report her findings back to the board.

Discussion also highlighted the town’s ongoing transition to a new email system, which will move all official accounts to a “.gov” domain in compliance with state requirements.

“We’re in the process of making the switch right now,” Conjura said, noting the town’s email addresses will soon convert to a “neversinkny.gov” format.

She advised caution during the transition, noting that residents and officials may see irregular email activity in the coming weeks.

“People … may be getting random emails here and there over the next week or two,” Conjura said. “You can ignore all of that … until we give you instructions on what to do.”

A whopping winter

As winter winds down, Grahamsville Fire Department member Larry Bracken took a moment to commend Highway Superintendent Preston Kelly and the Highway Department for their work throughout the season.

“He knows the town very well, keeping the roads up and whatnot,” Bracken said.

Bracken also highlighted Kelly’s reliability when assisting emergency responders during calls.

“I can sit home and listen to the monitor and they’re calling for the Highway Department … and Preston’s there all the time for us,” he said.