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.gov domain, FOIL and data sharing discussed; no board authorization taken
Summary
Board members discussed transitioning town email and website to a .gov domain and a draft agreement with the Western New York Land Conservancy that would allow limited data sharing; town attorney will draft clarifying edits and no formal authorization for the .gov migration was given at the meeting.
Board members discussed the pros and cons of migrating the town website and email to a .gov domain during the Nov. 25 meeting, emphasizing cyber‑security and the legitimacy that a .gov address confers for government entities.
Deputy Supervisor Lukin summarized conversations with IT and an estimated transition cost of $5,000–$10,000 for staff workstation changes and mailbox reconfiguration. Lukin and others said the town could run the existing .com address in parallel and forward mail to the .gov address during a phased changeover. Town staff described the transition as time‑consuming for employees who use email addresses for grants and other services but said it could be done slowly to reduce disruption.
In a related item, the board authorized the supervisor to sign an agreement with the Western New York Land Conservancy subject to minor edits by the town attorney to clarify how confidential data will be handled and to reflect FOIL obligations. One board member noted the data will be useful for the comprehensive plan and climate‑smart certification; the agreed edits will clarify the town’s ability to disclose records when required by law.
What happens next: The town attorney will revise the conservancy agreement language to explicitly account for FOIL/disclosure obligations. No formal authorization to begin converting town email and website systems to a .gov domain was granted at the Nov. 25 meeting; board members asked staff to return with a plan and cost estimate.
