Date sent: Sat, 7 Nov 1998 19:0:44 Subject: Press Release - Electronic Initiative 11/7/98 To: <"Town of Westport TownHall List"> From: "Gordon Joseloff" <joseloff@futuris.net"> Send reply to: joseloff@futuris.net -----------> This message was posted to the TOWN-OF-WESTPORT-TOWNHALL-LIST <----------- NEWS from: THE TOWN OF WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 1998 Contact: Pat Scully 203 341-1111 e-mail: pscully@ci.westport.ct.us. FIRST SELECTMAN ANNOUNCES ELECTRONIC INITIATIVE Westport First Selectman Diane Goss Farrell today (Saturday, Nov. 7) announced inauguration of an electronic initiative to bring Town Hall closer to town residents via the Internet. Speaking at an annual meeting of members of Westport's elected and appointed boards and commissions, Ms. Farrell said effective immediately, anyone with Internet access will be able to view town board and commission meeting notices, official announcements, and the official weekly town calendar. They also will be able to have all such notices delivered to them via e-mail as soon as they are posted on the bulletin board in the Town Clerk's Office. In addition, Ms. Farrell said her office, the Town Clerk's Office, and the Parks and Recreation Department have established e-mail addresses to receive communications from the public. Other departments will follow. Previously, the Board of Education and the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) had made their meeting minutes available on the Internet. "I am delighted to take these steps to bring Westport's government a bit closer to residents," Ms. Farrell said. "With so many Westporters now having Internet access, it is only natural to try to use it to improve communication with Town Hall and, hopefully, create more interest and participation in our local government." Ms. Farrell said she was sure the electronic availability would also be helpful to members of the town's various boards, commissions and committees as well as to area news media in keeping current with official Westport events. Also as part of the electronic initiative, the First Selectman said the town plans to install an Internet-ready computer in the lobby of Town Hall to allow visitors to access town information from inside the building. Visitors will also be able to access the information from computers at the Westport Public Library. Westporters interested in receiving town hall information via e-mail can join the "TownHall Mailing List" in two ways: they can send an e-mail message to join-town-of-westport-townhall-list@lists.lyris.net with no subject and no message needed in the "message area." Or they can sign up via the Web at lists.lyris.net/cgi-bin/lists.pl?join=town-of-westport-townhall-list. They will receive immediate confirmation by return e-mail that they have successfully subscribed. Those subscribing to the e-mail list can join or unjoin at any time. There is no charge for the service, provided through Lyris Technologies Inc., an Oakland, Calif.-based developer of Internet e-mail software and services. Those who wish to view the messages without subscribing to the e-mail list can do so at lists.lyris.net/cgi-bin/lists.pl?visit=town-of-westport-townhall-list. Westporters wanting to send e-mail to the First Selectman's Office can send it to: selectman@ci.westport.ct.us, to the Town Clerk's Office at townclerk@ci.westport.ct.us, and to the Parks and Recreation Department at recreation@ci.westport.ct.us. The RTM member list, committee assignments and minutes -- searchable by keyword -- are available at www.moffitt.com/rtm/ while the Board of Education information is available at www.westport.k12.ct.us. Ms. Farrell thanked RTM Moderator Gordon Joseloff, Town Clerk Patricia Strauss, and Information Department Director Eileen Zhang for helping develop the improved electronic access to Town Hall. -30- |