Letters To The Editor 06.29.23

North Greenbush Fails to Alert Residents to Crisis Situations

Recently, Michael Myer submitted a letter to the Advertiser pointing out the need for North Greenbush’s town government to move into the 21st century and use what is commonly known as a “push” notification system to inform residents of emergencies such as the recent ban on water use for watering lawns, washing cars and filling pools. 

As Mr. Myer’s letter pointed out, many residents were likely unaware of this dire situation because they do not use social media with consistency or at all, do not regularly visit the town website or do not drive past the LED sign at town hall. It doesn’t have to be this way. When I served on the town board, I met with representatives of companies that provide technology allowing a town to engage and communicate with its residents through various channels without requiring the use of social media or a visit to a website. 

For an affordable annual fee, North Greenbush could subscribe to a service that would disseminate important news and alerts through a variety of methods-text, voice, email and social media. Think of all those “ boil water” alerts that people probably miss. Even those who don’t use smart phones could receive calls to a landline. But the majority in town hall refused to make this small investment, potentially endangering some residents. North Greenbush residents deserve better communication from their town government. 

Mary Frances Sabo, North Greenbush