Click here to view Town Manager's e-mail
02/12/10
Published e-mail correspondence 'on hiatus'
The Town of Cape Elizabeth has suspended publication of e-mails to councilors and members of other boards on the municipal Web site.
In a Feb. 12, 2010 e-mail to Town councilors and to "Cape Citizen", an area of the Web site that includes e-mails written to officials on issues of public interest, Town Manager Michael McGovern said that publication of the e-mails was "on hiatus".
"The posting activity in recent months has revealed some challenges in resolving policy and technical issues with the administration of this website feature," he said.
Since January of 2009, the Town has optionally made e-mails sent to the Town Council and other boards available online for public view.
While the Town wishes to keep the content of published e-mails intact, some e-mails have included material that may conflict with existing Web site publishing policies.
In addition, some content has conflicted with the Town's policy not to provide official blogging sites. "In reviewing the comment threads in our website e-mail feature, some of the pattern of comments is clearly bloglike," McGovern said.
"Until these technical and policy issues are reviewed, the posting of new e-mails online on the www.capeelizabeth.com website is being placed on hiatus," McGovern said. He said he is recommending this administrative decision be included in the Town Council's review of communication strategies, one of the council's goals this year.
Residents may continue to send e-mails to town officials, and members of boards and commissions, through links on the Town Web site. All e-mails sent to the Town of Cape Elizabeth remain public records, and those sent to the Town Council and other boards will be available for public inspection in full accordance with Maine’s Freedom of Access statutes.
Click here for a full copy of the Web publishing guidelines.
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