From Albany County Legislator Jennifer Whalen’s Facebook page: “Back in June, I sent a letter to Supervisor Mahan about the crucial need for emergency alerts for seniors and other vulnerable people in the town of Colonie. I’m happy that Supervisor Mahan has taken my proposal seriously and recently implemented the new “Stay Connected Service” on the Town of Colonie website, giving local residents the opportunity to sign up for important email updates and alerts from the town.  This is an important first step, but we have more work to do. The email alert system is helpful to those with easy access to email, but there is still a clear disconnect for many other residents seeking public safety updates that don’t use email or have internet access. With the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, measures should be taken to ensure everyone in the town has access to emergency messages.  I sent Supervisor Mahan a follow-up letter today thanking her for her progress on this important issue, and suggesting that we look into the option of a town-wide call alert system to better suit all our residents. I look forward to hearing from her and working together to ensure all Colonie residents have access to emergency alerts.”