Select Board debates central mailbox, FOIA access, and email expectations

Board members said they receive many emails from constituents and differ on whether each member should get messages or whether the town should use a single, centralized select-board mailbox to manage public correspondence.

One member described the practical burden: "I generally always try to acknowledge or saying, thank you received. I try not to get into anything other than that," and asked whether a centralized mailbox would reduce duplicate work and set clearer expectations for response. Staff emphasized using town email addresses because the records are subject to public-records requests and must be retrievable for FOIA compliance.

Members discussed automated acknowledgment messages and the need to set realistic public expectations for email turnaround; staff said the select board should clarify a single message-and-response workflow in board policy so volunteers and members know how correspondence will be handled.