Town of Cheektowaga

TOWN WEB PHOTOS COMING INTO FOCUS:

Six months after having posted on the town's official Web site a handful of photos depicting the interior of private homes, their blueprints and- in some cases- the homeowners themselves, the pictures have been sorted out, but questions remain about when the photos will return to the Web.

Photos depicting the front of the properties must go back online because they were among the requirements of a $30,000 New York State grant awarded to the town assessor's office to upgrade its system.

Mark Orzechowski, network coordinator for the town's Department of Information Support Services, said that state officials are eager for the town to return its online assessment system to its Web site.

"Right now, we're out of compliance with the grant," Orzechowski said at Monday's Town Board work session. "New York State is ready for Cheektowaga to go back online."

Roughly 35,000 pictures were posted to the Web site by the Town Assessor's Department. The intention was that the photos would help a person challenge his or her assessment by comparing similar properties.

Only the front of each home and commercial building in town was to be placed on the site, but when additional photos were posted to the site, some residents complained that their privacy rights were violated.