Officials still paused on issue of taping meetings
But council prez says he hopes cameras will be rolling by next year
BY JENNIFERDOME
Staff Writer

Although the governing body has discussed taping Brick Township Council meetings for some time, officials said last week that they are no closer to flipping the "on air" switch.

The deadlock may be blamed on indecision and a lack of funds.

"[It’s] never really been implemented basically because of money," Mayor Joseph Scarpelli said.

Both the mayor, a Democrat, and Republican council President Stephen Acropolis said they believe taping council meetings is a good idea.

"Any time you can have more access to public information, it’s good for government," Scarpelli said.

But the men have different opinions as to why the idea is still in a holding pattern.

Acropolis said he has researched various options such as outsourcing the job, or buying equipment and having high school students or township employees tape the meetings. He said he asked the township administration to put together a proposal, but "it hasn’t gotten done."

"I believe televising council meetings is the next step to opening up the government," Acropolis said.

The mayor said he, too, has explored the same options as Acropolis, and if the council decides to pursue taping meetings, the cost would have to be figured into the 2005 budget.

Township Business Administrator Scott MacFadden said taping council meetings hasn’t been a "hot issue" during the last few months. Some time ago, when he was asked to look into different options, MacFadden said he found it would cost about $25,000 a year to outsource taping the meetings. To do the job in-house, it could cost anywhere between $25,000 and $100,000, depending on the level of "sophistication."

Scarpelli said he is worried that if cameras start rolling in the council’s chambers, residents may abuse the television cameras, using the opportunity to get up on a soapbox.

"[We’d] have to be careful because that could upset the conduct of meetings," Scarpelli said.

Ground rules would need to be established, the mayor said. He added that some towns that televise their meetings broadcast only the business portion, while others show the business and public portions.

Acropolis said the public portion is about free speech. He said the council can’t be afraid to televise meetings because of what residents may say.

Councilman Fred Underwood said he was originally torn on the issue of taping meetings because he was also afraid people would misuse the opportunity to be on television.

But now, Underwood said, "I think I would be in favor of it because people need to see how these meetings are run."

He is still concerned that taping meeting will bring out people who just want to be on television, but feels televising the meetings is an important tool to get information to the community.

"In an ideal world, I don’t think it’s a good idea, but in the world we’re living in today, it is," Underwood said.

Acropolis said he hopes the council and township administration will have everything in place to begin taping meetings by the beginning of next year, at the latest.

"If I ever get the chance to sit where the mayor’s sitting, that’s the first thing I’ll do," Acropolis said.

The mayor tapes live shows called "About the Town" on a biweekly basis at Brick Memorial High School’s television studio. This summer the shows have been taped prior to airing, but live shows are expected to resume several weeks after school starts, according to Bryan J. Dickerson, the township’s public information officer.