Hello to Listers and to Town Clerks:
I would like to ask you to please respond to this with your opinions and
comments, if you would please.
Two reasons:
The first reason is that I've been trying to find funding for the
continuation of the Town Officers' Connectivity Project where the rural ext.
service has been  working to get towns rudimentary training to get local
gov't on line and somewhat saavy with the net.  Those of us who are on line
recognize the value and the ever-increasing uses and education available
once we've broken the "ethernet" barrier.  This, for example, is an example
of what I'm talking about.  The committee I testified before didn't think it
was necessary and that local gov't types didn't need to learn or didn't want
to learn. I'm hoping you can respond with short notes about the values of
being on-line, how you use this tool, what you like about it, what you
usually do with it, etc.  anything and it can be very informal.  I'd like to
get us all on line, wouldn't you?
The second reason is a bill that has come before the Local Government
Committee.  It is H468.  This bill would require that municipal public
records, specifically listers' cards and zoning records be available for
inspection by the public during the hours that the town clerk's office is
open.
Now, I must say, up front, that as a town clerk who has the faith and trust
of my lister's, it's a fine thing that I'm able to access their cards. We're
such a small office, and they are part-time at best, but I only have access
to their cards because they've let me.  They're filled out in pencil and we
are getting around to computerizing them....but not quite yet...
The bill is sponsored by a legislator who is also a lawyer.  It must be
difficult sometimes when searching records that certain public records
aren't available when she needs them.
However, I struggle with state laws that tell local government officials,
(duly elected, I might add), what to do. The co operation that exists
between listers and clerks and others has been an option that has worked
very well over the years.
I realize that in larger towns and cities, listers are probably on some
schedule of availability for the public and H.468 doesn't affect them, but
many of our towns are small, and many of our listers are part time and
sometimes seasonal....(spring).
How do you feel about this?
Listers, is it ok for you to make your records available when the town
clerk's office is open?
Yes? No? Why?
Clerks, how do you feel about it?  I would think that some of you do not
want to handle the listers work, but I may be wrong?  Any reasons you would
want to?  Not want to?  Why?
Finally, I will need this stuff by late monday night on this email address.
[log in to unmask]
or by the end of tuesday on the following email address: