Amy's Perspective - Minimal Requirements Not Pathway For Improved Smithtown

Communication Concerns – Social Media, Town Meetings, Agendas

There’s got to be a better way!

A commitment to communication together with active listening are essential qualities necessary to improving our community, including residents, businesses and government relationships.  It takes effort and ingenuity to keep Smithtown informed and involved in the administration of our town’s activities and development.  Developing an overall consensus (through a town-wide survey) and then forming a town plan is vital to ensure that Smithtown thrives in the future while appreciating our past and addressing the concerns of our residents.

The funding promised by the State of New York will come to fruition if and when our town provides the Comprehensive Master Town Plan that details our clearly developed intentions.  Realizing the money offered by Gov. Cuomo requires that our town present a plan that reflects Smithtown’s interests and requirements to prosper. These funds need a plan that is formulated and supported by the input of our town’s citizenry.       

Real communication goes beyond providing the minimal, legal requirements.  The effort to inform and interact with Smithtown’s taxpaying residents would enhance our town’s quality of life.  It would be a positive change towards inclusion and meaningful communication.  Our new administration has the potential to improve community relations through social media and enhanced interactive website. This level of commitment to communication, outreach and transparency takes ingenuity and creativity.  

This concern for communication and participation has been voiced on various occasion.  The interest to create a citizen’s advisory board and an open and straightforward process to participate in planning with ‘Smart Growth,’ principles applied for future town development has been stated repeatedly. 

Admittedly, there are regular meetings and legal postings.  The meetings are less than friendly and even occasionally overcrowded whenever too many presentations are scheduled.  The underpopulated meetings are scheduled in the middle of the day (2:00 PM) which makes it almost impossible for anyone who works to attend.  The agenda is published within one day of the board meeting, so it’s hard to review and prepare.  

Some of the agenda’s contents are necessary and detailed, while other issues are not fully explained or represented.  (As an example, legal payments and settlements mention the dollar amounts paid, but there is no description of the lawsuit and the actions taken to correct the problem that incurred the payout.) Regrettably, I discover the actual contents and town issues from print media in THE DAYS AFTER the Town Board meeting.  Clarity, transparency and explanations would be a huge benefit to our town as Smithtown moves forward.   

Commitment to real communication and the dedication to actively listening is possible through the efforts to reach out through various methods.  A user-friendly web site design and social media offer the opportunity to share information, interaction and engagement.  Town meetings could offer a more positive encounter by creating an approachable atmosphere while conducting Smithtown’s local administration.    

Amy Fortunato is a Smithtown resident who ran for Town Council on the Democratic line in 2017.