Residents must provide additional information when speaking at meetings
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

Bucki

Even before the resolution was discussed, residents expressed their disgust in having to disclose basically any connection they have with the Town of Amherst.

Deputy Supervisor Deborah Bruch Bucki upset several residents by placing her resolution - Transparency in Government During Suspension of Rules - on the Aug. 21 agenda.

Passed in its entirety, the two-part resolution will require residents speaking during the public comment period to not only state their name and address but even more personal information.

According to the resolution residents must state:

+ Whether he or she is a current or past Town of Amherst employee, and if so, for what department.

 Whether he or she is a current or past member of a Town of Amherst committee, and if so, of what committee.

 Whether he or she is presently engaged in a contractual relationship with the Town of Amherst.

Residents are not alone in their opposition. Town Clerk Susan Jaros said the New York Department of State on Open Governments has recommended that names and addresses not be included in minutes for privacy reasons.

In agreement with the state's recommendation Jaros stated she has no control over the process and that the information will be included because of town board action.

Bucki said she considered Jaros's comments but her main goal when presenting this resolution was to bring transparency to government.

In response to residents questioning privacy she said, "If a resident is making an effort to attend a meeting and advances to the podium they are already away from their private life into the public sphere."

She added that it is necessary and important that board members make their relationships known and the same should be for residents speaking on record.

"Information about speakers and their past experiences influence their thoughts and opinions about issues," she said.

Many residents, including Colleen Bogdan, said the resolution is an invasion of privacy and unconstitutional. Several mocked the system and went on to state when they were seasonal employees more than 20 years ago as teenagers.