Meet Hurley's New Public Information Officer Jeremy Schiffres
Jeremy Schiffres, Hurley Public Information Officer
(By Maya Schubert for the Kingston Wire)
Jeremy Schiffres has always enjoyed disseminating information. For the past four months, he has continued to do just that in the new position of Public Information Officer for the Town of Hurley.
The title, unique to Hurley compared to most towns in the region, entails traits of public relations and social media coordinator combined. Since taking on the position in mid-November, Schiffres has started a print and digital newsletter devoted to the goings-on in Hurley. He manages the town’s social media pages and keeps the town’s website updated with news and documents for upcoming meetings, events, closures, and weather alerts. He also writes press releases and acts as an intermediary between town officials and the press.
Hurley’s town board created the position last fall to fill a communication gap with residents and the press. New York State law requires that towns provide agendas and other documents to the public ahead of open meetings, a rule that sometimes fell by the wayside in Hurley. At the October 2022 meeting approving Schiffres’ appointment, Town Supervisor Melinda McKnight noted that residents had complained about documents not being available or not being able to find documents on the town’s website.