July 09, 2006

TOWN CODE PROPOSED ONLINE BY GATES DEMOCRATS

At the Gates Town Board meeting, July 5, Susan Swanton, President, Gates Democratic Committee, offered to personally pay the $530 it would cost to put the entire Code of the Town of Gates online along with the annual $330 maintenance fee ‘as long as God allows me breath as my contribution for free access to the town regulations that affect all Gates residents.’ If the Town Supervisor agrees to authorize the code being put online, this service would be on the Gates Democratic Committee’s web site, www.gatesdemocrats.org under Swanton’s offer.

The Gates Democrats’ web site currently offers the entire Town’s 2006 Budget, scanned by Democratic volunteer, Tracy Logan, along with links to the New York State Comptroller’s recent audit of the Town of Gates and the previously published Comptroller’s critical review of the Town’s 2006 Budget.

Swanton cited the many times she provided printouts from her personal CD-Rom subscription to the Gates Town Code upon request to Gates residents during her past political campaign for Town Supervisor. ‘Most towns have their Code online but Gates does not even though the cost is quite modest. Residents, who want to know what town regulations are for dogs, cats, signs, fences, and so forth, now must either visit Gates Public Library or Gates Town Offices. With reduced summer service hours at the library and only weekday hours at the Town Hall, it is unnecessarily difficult for Gates residents or businesses to find out what the rules and regulations are for the Town of Gates. An advantage of the online version is that it is searchable by word. As a retired librarian, I know the importance of making public information accessible to all!’