Website Disclaimer and Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Disclaimer
The Town of Phillipston maintains this website to enhance public access to Town services and information. The Town aims to keep the information accurate and timely, but cannot guarantee this in every case. The Town provides no warranty of any kind, and shall not be liable for any claim for damages relating to electronic access or transmission. The content of the website may change from time to time without notice. Please notify the Webmaster of any errors that you find as you use this website.
Links Policy
In order to provide the community with easy access to a broad range of public information and to avoid duplicating existing content, the Town's website may provide links to external websites. Any text, link or other reference to these web pages or sites does not constitute endorsement or support by the Town for the organization or its website. The Town is not responsible for the content and links of these websites maintained by outside organizations.
Appropriate websites the Town links to include those that have a legitimate public purpose or are related to Phillipston government services, programs and information. It is our policy not to link to sites devoted solely to commercial sales, those of a partisan nature, or those which advocate a particular point of view. Linking to for profit businesses and enterprises is only acceptable if the business furthers the goals of the Town (e.g. a Health Department link to a local hospital or a Library link to a local newspaper).
External websites are welcome to link to the pages on the Town of Phillipston’s Website as long as the Town's pages are not forced into the other site's frameset. The Town reserves the right to modify the code of its site to prevent hijacking of its pages in this manner. The Town cannot be held responsible for information and opinions on sites that link to its site.
Privacy Policy
Information is collected by this site for statistical purposes. When you visit the Town of Phillipston website, the system automatically collects and stores the Internet Protocol (IP) address and domain name used. The IP address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your Internet Service Provider or directly to your computer. This is the same information collected by most websites.
The Town may use this information to improve the content and delivery of our Web services and to help understand how people are using Town services and what technology they use to access the site. The Town may analyze our Website logs to continually improve the value of the materials and services available on our site and the ease of assessing them. The Town makes no attempt to link the logs with the individuals who browse our site.
How we collect and use personal information
Personal information is information that is readily identifiable to a specific individual, and includes such things as an individual's name, address, phone number and email address. A domain name or Internet protocol address is not considered personal information.
We collect no personal information about you unless you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for information (e.g., subscribing to email notification lists, sending an email from within our website, or filling out a form on our website). If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of our website.
If during your visit to the Town of Phillipston website you subscribe to an email notification list or send an email, the following additional information will be collected:
The email address and contents of the email
Information volunteered on a registration form.
We use your email to respond appropriately. Form information is used for the purpose designated. Please not that email and form information is a public record.
Control of personal information
If personal information is required on the Website or volunteered by the user, this information is a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not protected by federal or state law.
What we provide to third parties
The Town of Phillipston offers services online as a means to improve services and to make them more convenient and accessible. If during your visit to the Town of Phillipston website you access services (e.g. online payments), we will collect additional information related directly to the service you are accessing. We will limit the information requested to only that required to conduct the service. We will not use the information for any other purpose without your permission except if required by law. If you have a concern, you may wish to conduct transactions via a phone, regular mail, or during a personal visit.
Public Records
The information that you provide and we collect is retained in accordance with MGL c.66, 950 CMR 32.00 and MGL c.4 7(26). In some limited cases the information may be exempt from these regulations and we will identify it as such.
Public Access to Information
In the State of Massachusetts, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state and local government. At the same time, there are certain limited exceptions to the public's right to access public records. Both state and federal laws provide such exceptions.
All information collected at this site becomes public records that may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exemption in law exists.
Site Comments and Communications
The Town of Phillipston appreciates questions, comments, and any other feedback that will help us serve you better. If there is something that is not on this Web site that you feel we should provide; if you have suggestions on how to improve anything about this web site; or if you found something wrong with the information on this Web site, such as outdated or incorrect information, missing documents, or information located in the wrong place, please use the Send Us Comments link. Please be sure to include the URL of the page when reporting a problem.
Document Downloads
All documents available for download through this website are provided as a service to Town residents and other interested parties. The Town makes no promises or guarantees about the accuracy, currency, completeness or adequacy of the contents of any of these documents, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in their contents. In any situation where the official printed publications of the Town differ from the text contained in this website, the official printed publications shall take precedence. Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, official printed copies of general and zoning by-laws are maintained in the office of the Town Clerk.
Commercial Use Prohibited
The Site and its contents and information are intended only for individual, non-commercial use. No user of the Site may modify, distribute, display, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, resell, republish, print, download or copy for commercial use any portion of the Site or its contents without permission of the Town.
Official Notice to the Town
No communications to the Town made through the Site shall constitute legal or official notice to the Town, its officers, employees, agents, attorneys, officials, boards or commissions.
Governing Law
These Terms of Use and all claims related thereto, their execution or the performance of the parties thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without giving effect to its conflict of law provisions. You agree and hereby submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction and venue of the Superior Court located in Worcester County, Massachusetts or the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, with respect to such matters.
If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision or portion of these terms of use to be unenforceable, the remainder of the terms of use shall continue in full force and effect.
Changes to these Terms of Use
The Town reserves the right to change these terms of use. If we make changes, the revised Terms of Use will be posted on the site and be effective upon posting. Your continued use of the Site following the posting of a revised Terms of Use signifies your acceptance of that revision.
Acceptance
Your use of the Town of Phillipston website indicates your unconditional acceptance of the above disclaimers and statements. You further agree that the Town of Phillipston, its officers and employees have no liability for direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages with respect to the information, services, or content contained on or otherwise accessed through this web site.
Policy Changes
We reserve the right to amend these Terms of Use at any time, without prior notice. Any and all changes will be posted on this page.
Contact Information
For questions and comments regarding these Terms of Use, please contact the Webmaster.
Approved by the Selectboard, September 24, 2018