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On April 2, 2008, the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Open Government
Advocacy Project wrote to Watchung Borough in Somerset County regarding four
areas where the Borough wasn't compliant with the Open Public Meetings Act. On
April 10, 2008, the Council, in response to the Libertarian Party's April 2,
2008 letter, passed the resolution pasted below.
The Borough Council is
promising to do a better job providing the public with:
a) access to
draft minutes of its public meetings,
b) faster access to its executive
session minutes and
c) better, more detailed, descriptions of the topics
that it will discuss in executive session.
The Project's letter and the
resolution are on-line HERE
John
Paff
Somerset, NJ
--attachment
BOROUGH OF WATCHUNG
RESOLUTION
NO. 8
(Passed April 10, 2008)
WHEREAS, the Open Public Meetings Act,
N.J,S.A. 10:4-6 et seq., and the Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et
seq., require transparency in municipal government; and
WHEREAS, it has
been and will continue to be the policy of the Borough of Watchung to be
transparent in its actions; and
WHEREAS, consistent with this policy the
Borough Clerk, promptly after each Council meeting, places on the Borough Web
Site under "Meeting Recaps" "a short synopsis of the highlights" of each Council
meeting, thereby advising the public of what transpired at each Council meeting;
and
WHEREAS, a review of the Borough's Web Site shows that a "Meeting
Recap" for the last Council meeting held on March 27, 2008 is available for
pubic [sic] viewing; and
WHEREAS, the "Meeting Recaps" then serve as a
basis for the preparation of formal Council meeting minutes; and
WHEREAS,
the Borough wishes to continue the practice of placing the "Meeting Recaps" on
the Web Site promptly after each Council meeting; and
WHEREAS, once the
"Meeting Recaps" have been posted, the Borough Clerk should proceed to prepare
formal Council meeting minutes to be approved at the next regularly scheduled
Council meeting; and
WHEREAS, the Borough Council has the responsibility
to approve draft Council meeting minutes prepared by the Borough Clerk to ensure
that the minutes accurately reflect what transpired at each Council meeting;
and
WHEREAS, once the minutes of each Council meeting are approved, the
Borough Clerk should continue to post the approved minutes on the Borough's Web
Site; and
WHEREAS, consistent with the Borough's policy to promote
transparently in government, the Borough Clerk should, upon request, release
draft minutes prior to approval by the Council, provide that the draft minutes
clearly advise that the minutes are "Draft – Unapproved Meeting Minutes";
and
WHEREAS, the preparation of Executive Session minutes should also be
prepared in a prompt manner, with disclosure to occur consistent with applicable
law; and
WHEREAS, within the context of Executive Sessions, the Borough
Clerk should provide sufficient information on the Agenda and Executive Session
Resolution to advise the public of the topics to be discussed in Executive
Session.
NOW, THEREORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the
Borough of Watchung, as follows:
1. That it is the policy of the Borough
of Watchung to promote transparency in government.
2. That the Clerk
continue to promptly post on the Borough Web Site "Meeting Recaps" until the
approved minutes are posted on the Web Site.
3. That, after the Borough
Clerk posts the "Meeting Recaps", the Clerk proceed to prepare formal Council
meeting minutes.
4. That the Clerk release draft Council meeting minutes
prior to approval by the Council, provide that the draft minutes clearly advise
that the minutes are "Draft — Unapproved Meeting Minutes."
5. That the
Clerk prepare the Executive Session minutes in a prompt manner, with disclosure
consistent with applicable law.
6. That the Clerk provide sufficient
information on the Agenda and Executive Session Resolution to advise the public
of the topics to be discussed in Executive Session.
7. That this
Resolution shall take effect immediately.
/s/ Albert S. Ellis,
Mayor
/s/ Thomas Franklin, Council President
CERTIFICATION
1,
Laureen B. Fellin, Municipal Clerk of the Borough of Watchung, County of
Somerset and State of New Jersey, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true
copy of a Resolution duly adopted by the Mayor and Council on April 10,
2008,
/s/ Laureen B. Fellin, Municipal
Clerk
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