Official Village E-mail List Resolution

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Shoreham (“the Board”) has a need to rapidly and effciently communicate important information and official notices of general interest to residents of the Incorporated Village of Shoreham (“Village”).

WHEREAS, the Board finds that modern electronic communication methods, notably electronic mail (“e-mail”) can supplement traditional communication methods previously used by the Board for this purpose, including mailed notices via Bulk Mail and postings on the official Village Bulletin Board and street-side message boards.

WHEREAS the Board finds that prudent guidelines pertaining to the acquisition, retention and use of residents’ e-mail addresses by the Board will help to safeguard Village residents’ privacy and security to the extent possible.

NOW THEREFORE IT IS  RESOLVED that the following policy governing the development and usage of an official Village e-mail list is hereby adopted by the Board:

At its discretion, the Board is authorized to develop and maintain a list of Village residents’ e-mail addresses (“E-mail  list”). This E-mail list will be securely maintained and used solely for official communications to Village residents by the Board and by Village Officials.

Participation in the E-mail list will be voluntary on the part of residents, and the Board will advise participating residents of their option to “opt out” of the E-mail list at any time, including  instructions on how to opt out.

Communications via the E-mail list will supplement but not replace conventional communication methods used by the Board and by Village Officials.

The Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Village Clerk, Village Treasurer and Village Webmaster are authorized to use the E-mail list for communications on behalf of the Board and Village Officials.  At its discretion, the Board may authorize additional  individuals to send communications on its behalf via the E-mail list, or else bar individuals from accessing or using the E-mail list.

Village Officials with access to the E-mail list will not release the E-mail list or any of its constituent e-mail addresses to any third party without the expressed permission of the affected e-mail addressees, except where such release is compelled by emergency or by law including but not limited to subpoena or FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) request (excepting FOIL request for commercial or fundraising purposes).

Village Officials with access to the E-mail list are  prohibited from using the E-mail list or its constituent e-mail addresses for personal, commercial or political purposes.

The Board and others with access to the E-mail list will take measures to safeguard the security of the E-mail list and its constituent e-mail addresses. For example, whenever appropriate and feasible, “BCC (Blind CC)” will be used when official e-mails are sent to multiple recipients, to prevent inadvertent disclosure of recipients’ e-mail addresses to third parties.

Adopted (4-0) by the Board of Trustees, March 8, 2011.