New York State Law requires the town to provide all documents to be discussed at a town meeting within 24 hours before or at the meeting.
Section 103 of NYS Open Meeting Law may be found here:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PBO/103
Know what your town has drafted before its discussed at the board meeting.
At least three days prior to a town meeting submit a written 103(e) request for all documents concerning the solar project to be discussed at the town meeting to the town clerk.
Draft Letter
REPLACE BOLD TEXT WITH YOUR TOWN INFORMATION< MEETING DATE AND INFORMATION REQUESTED Dear Town Clerk, Pursuant to Public Officers Law Section 103(e) I hereby request that I be provided with a copy of all records scheduled to be discussed at the TOWN/PLANNING/ZONING Board’s DATE meeting concerning solar, wind and battery energy resources, PROJECT NAME, DEVELOPER NAME, and solar law at or prior to the meeting. For your easy reference, a copy of section 103(e) is pasted below:
(e) Agency records available to the public pursuant to article six of this chapter, as well as any proposed resolution, law, rule, regulation, policy or any amendment thereto, that is scheduled to be the subject of discussion by a public body during an open meeting shall be made available, upon request therefor, to the extent practicable as determined by the agency or the department, prior to or at the meeting during which the records will be discussed. Copies of such records may be made available for a reasonable fee, determined in the same manner as provided therefor in article six of this chapter. If the agency in which a public body functions maintains a regularly and routinely updated website and utilizes a high speed internet connection, such records shall be posted on the website to the extent practicable as determined by the agency or the department, prior to the meeting. An agency may, but shall not be required to, expend additional moneys to implement the provisions of this subdivision.
Please email the responsive documents to EMAIL ADDRESS
Thank you for your assistance,
NAME
ADDRESS
EMAIL