As the Portland Town Clerk Nancy Thompson prepares to send out the annual report to residents, the town board discussed that in the future, these documents may be distributed digitally.

During Thursday’s meeting, Thompson revealed that last year, it cost her approximately $607 to print and mail the reports to every residence in the town.

Supervisor Kurt Keach said the town could save a few hundred dollars if it did not send a paper copy of the annual report. Thompson said it would also save her time if she didn’t need to mail out the copies.

“It could be put on the (town) website, as long as people know it’s there,” she said.

Thompson also added that previously, the board had discussed putting the annual report in with the yearly residential property tax bill. She suggested putting a slip of paper in the envelope to gauge the interest of people who would like a paper copy of the report or would prefer to have access to a digital version.

Town Chairman Jeff Spoke said in the future, the town could print out and distribute paper copies of the annual report for those who request the document.

“I’m pretty sure that if you have it publicly available, that’s all you have to do,” he said when asked if there is a legal requirement to send a copy of the annual report to all residences.

The board directed Thompson to see if there is a state statute requiring the annual report be mailed.

Based on the outcome of her research, the board agreed to either send out the annual report through the mail as has been the past practice, or post it on the town’s website.

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