Hempstead Town OKs $1 million in borrowing to digitize records

The Hempstead Town Board approved borrowing $1 million to digitize records at its regular town board meeting Tuesday.

The resolution authorized the town to finance “costs associated with the establishment of a system of digital imaging, recording, indexing and preservation of records.” That includes purchasing equipment to view, copy and store records, according to the resolution.

“The town has been working to digitize its records across a number of departments in order to streamline processes and make town government more efficient,” spokesman Brian Devine said in an email. “This is something we do on a routine basis.”

The town didn't provide specifics on which records would be digitized.

Since 2022, the town board has approved millions of dollars in capital spending to digitize its records. In November of that year, the board approved borrowing $500,000 to finance costs to digitize records. The board approved $1 million for the same purpose in 2023 and again in 2025, town records show.

Hempstead makes many scanned records for building permit applications available online.

Other municipalities in Nassau County also have worked to digitize records. Newsday reported in 2024 that Oyster Bay had hired an outside firm to digitize records that go back to 1881. In 2023, Newsday reported that Glen Cove was digitizing birth certificates that go back to 1940.

State law requires municipal governments to retain records for varying periods of time that generally range from a few years to permanent retention. A municipality’s failure to produce records requested under the state's Freedom of Information Law in a timely manner can lead to litigation.

Last year, the state Appellate Court restored a lawsuit brought against the Town of Hempstead by Howard Jay Meyer over its alleged failure to produce records regarding an Amazon distribution center. The town argued in court papers that it had complied with the law. That case is ongoing in state Supreme Court.