Friday, February 25, 2011

CB 12'S DEFICIENT WEBSITE

This seems like an appropriate time to return to an issue we wrote about in October--Community Board 12's website. The site still has nothing on its Announcements page, nothing on its Calendar, and nothing in its Resources Directory. It still doesn't announce the dates or agendas of general meetings, public hearings, or committee meetings. 

The Open Meetings Law requires all meetings of public bodies to be open to the public, but CB 12 doesn't make it easy for the public to be aware of when it's meeting or what it's doing.

At CB 12's meeting last September, we asked the Board to add announcements about upcoming meetings, agendas, minutes, and information about the issues its committees are discussing. They explained that their staff doesn't have time to do that, so a Kensington resident volunteered to work on it.

At the Board's October meeting, a Midwood resident mentioned that no work had been done on the website. A Board member said that several people have offered to work on it and that "it's currently in the works."

When will the community see results? When will we be given the opportunity to know what our Community Board is doing so that we can more easily participate?

A Twitter and/or Facebook page, a Google or Yahoo group, or any other online presence would also be appreciated, but let's take one step at a time.

The boundaries of CB 12 are 61st Street on the west; 8th Avenue, 37th Street, and Caton Avenue on the north; Coney Island Avenue, 18th Street, McDonald Avenue, and the Long Island Rail Road on the east; and Avenue P on the south.