HILLSDALE—Council members tabled a suggestion March 12 by the borough’s administrator to end Zoom transmissions of council meetings, after the administrator noted that it could cost about $100,000 to fix the council’s Zoom broadcast system.
The hybrid format was created here, as in so many other places, as a workaround to Covid restrictions.
Member Justin Fox asked if there were any options possible to enhance the Zoom system. He said it was “definitely a benefit for the public to Zoom in” for a council meeting.
However, administrator Michael Ghassali, also Montvale’s Republican mayor, said “Zoom is a courtesy. We’re not required to have it. And almost all the towns around us don’t use Zoom.”
He said, “Since government was meant to meet in person, we want to move away from Zoom starting next month.”
Borough Council meetings may also be viewed live on Optimum Ch. 77 and FIOS Ch. 32. Some special meetings are held exclusively over Zoom.
Ghassali said if a councilperson could not attend a meeting in person, they could call in remotely to a meeting to participate.
Often, residents and reporters will view live-streamed meetings or scan archived meetings online when they cannot attend a session in person. A meeting video archive enables residents to hear local officials discuss issues and concerns without attending an hours-long meeting.
In nearby Township of Washington, the council offers a hybrid meeting with Zoom call-in for residents, live broadcast on WCTV-NJ and meeting posting on YouTube following the session.
In Park Ridge, meetings are live streamed on PKRG-TV (Optimum Ch. 77; FIOS Ch. 22) and later posted on YouTube via the borough website.
Ghassali repeated that it was likely to cost over $100,000 to upgrade the Zoom technology. “It’s a courtesy that we offer. We don’t have to do it. We’ve been doing it but it doesn’t work well,” he said.
Ghassali noted often during presentations at council meetings, multiple computers must be used, “and it does not work well.”
Mayor Michael Sheinfield, a Democrat, said a decision on ending Zoom service was not needed immediately.
Fox requested that the matter be tabled. Member John Ruocco, the immediate past mayor, agreed. The council’s next regular meeting is April 2 at 7 p.m.