HILLSDALE—Can you hear me now and can you see me now? The answers to both will be yes for all residents early next year should the Borough Council purchase and install new audio and video equipment to enhance its two way, real-time communications with residents calling into Zoom council meetings.
The Borough Council introduced a capital ordinance Nov. 9 to spend $29,000 on the gear, which will allow the council to hold “hybrid meetings” where residents can fully participate in-person or online.
The capital ordinance’s public hearing is Dec. 7. It was introduced, 4-1, with Council President Abby Lundy opposed. Councilman Zoltán Horváth had technical difficulties and was not online for the vote.
Before that, he said, “This opens up another avenue for participation, there’s no reason not to do this.”
Borough Business Administrator Chris Tietjen said the improvements mean “It’s as if [residents] were in the room.”
Lundy questioned the cost when people can access meetings streamed live online and archived on the website. Tietjen said those meetings are one-way and do not allow two-way communication between council and residents.
In addition to enhancing two-way communication between members and public, meetings will be livestreamed on Zoom, broadcast on the public access channel, and archived for later viewing on YouTube.