West Milford Council address remote meeting procedures

Lawmakers in West Milford have adopted a resolution addressing protocols for public participation during remote public meetings. There are also procedures to be taken with persons acting in a disruptive manner during the sessions.

In accord with Governor Murphy’s Executive Orders relating to COVID-19 and the Open Public Meetings Act, local government units, including the Township of West Milford, continued to hold public meetings via remote platforms to ensure the continued operation of local government with participation by the public, in a way that limits public health risk.

A recently adopted township council resolution states that although the township has moved to a hybrid meeting format, wherein in-person attendance is permitted pursuant to occupancy limitations, restrictions as well as remote attendance, the township recognizes that meetings may return to remote only if necessary.

In passing the resolution the township council agreed to adopt the following procedures regarding public comments during remote public meetings.

Public comments for a remote meeting may be made during the designated public comment section of the meeting or submitted in writing to the township clerk no later than four hours prior to the published start time of the remote meeting.

Written public comments

Written public comments must be mailed to the clerk at ClerksOffice@westmilford.org or mailed to the attention of The Township Clerk at 1480 Union Valley Road, West Milford NJ 07480. Written public comments may not be submitted via any other form of electronic communications.

Written public comments submitted via email or mail must include the individual’s name, full address and contact information (telephone number and/or email address, as the township reserves the right to verify the submitter’s identity. If the information is incomplete and the township is unable to verify the individual’s identity, the written comment will not be read into the record.

Five-minute limit

There is a five-minute time limit for all public comments. Written public comments submitted in accord with this resolution shall be read into the remote meeting record at the end of the last public comment section, subjected to the five -minute time limit. Written comments containing profanity or vulgarity will not be read into the record. The chair or presiding officer of the remote meeting reserves the right to read similar or duplicative comments into the record in a summary fashion and will do so for all similar/duplicative comments.

Members of the public who submit written public comments regarding a proposed ordinance for which the public hearing is scheduled to be held during the remote meeting should review the agenda and ordinance, available on the township’s website prior to the meeting and designate the ordinance number and title to which their written public comments apply.

Public comments received after the four-hour deadline will not be read into the record or become part of the meeting record.

What happens with a person disrupts a remote meeting

If a member of the public disrupts a remote public meeting, the chair and/or presiding officer of the remote meeting shall facilitate a dialogue with that member of the public to the extent reasonably permitted by the electronic communications technology.

The chair and/or presiding officer shall mute or continue muting, or direct appropriate staff to mute or continue muting, the disruptive member of the public and warn that that continued disruption will result in their being prevented from speaking during the remote public meeting or removed from the remote public meeting, Disruptive conduct, according to the resolution, includes sustained inappropriate behaviors such as, but not necessarily limited to, shouting, interruption and use of profanity.

A member of the public who continues to act in a disruptive manner after receiving an initial warning shall be muted while other members of the public are allowed to proceed with their questions or comments. If time permits, the disruptive individual shall be allowed to speak after all others of the public have been given the opportunity to make comment.

If time permits, the disruptive individual shall be allowed to speak after all other members of the public have been given the opportunity to make comment. Should the person remain disruptive, the individual may be muted or kept on mute for the remainder of the public meeting or removed from the remote public meeting.