In January of this year, our Borough meeting livestreams went dark.
For the past five years, I was part of a two-person team that volunteered our time to provide livestream access to our Borough Council meetings and work sessions. We thought it was important to give as many people access to these meetings as possible, and the public response proved we were far from the only people who believed that.
Meetings normally attended by a handful of people were being viewed by hundreds of residents who, for any number of reasons, could not attend in person. The recordings were also saved, so people could watch them at a time that suited them best.
“Providing everyone access to see their elected officials in action is not only fair, but it’s also important.”
Over those five years, residents and Council members often mentioned the value of livestreaming. But, as is often the case with government, seeing the value in something and actually getting it done are two quite different things.
Enter Councilman Chris Morozin.
When Morozin was appointed to Council this summer to replace Councilman Rob Uyehara, he immediately started doing the legwork to make livestreaming meetings a reality again.
He brought in vendors who determined that the Borough's current PA system was adequate for livestreaming, which will greatly reduce the Borough's costs. He also priced out the dedicated PC required to handle the livestreaming and found funding for it without requiring additional budget money.
When asked why he felt livestreaming the meetings was important, Morozin had this to say:
Photo: Borough of Pitman social media watching public meeting.
“It is important to me because until a few years ago, it was impossible to make a meeting with two very young kids. Many others can not make it because of work, school, accessibility issues, or childcare. Providing everyone access to see their elected officials in action is not only fair, but it's also important. I may be on council now, but everyone deserves to judge for themselves whether they feel I am doing a good job or not. Being physically present should not be a requirement to reach that conclusion.”
He also explained the potential cost savings of livestreaming. Currently, if someone who couldn't attend a meeting wants a copy of the recording, they have to submit a request under New Jersey's Open Public Records Act (OPRA), which requires staff time and effort to process.
Recorded meetings also help elected officials refer back to previous meetings or work sessions for information or ideas they can't quite remember.
Moving forward, Morozin explained that, in addition to the dedicated PC to handle livestreaming from Council Chambers, a camera would be installed to provide the video feed. Meanwhile, a separate laptop would be used to capture work session meetings in the conference room.
While funding for the dedicated PC has already been identified, the project's remaining costs still need to be addressed. Morozin expects to discuss those costs at the first Council work session in November.
Regarding the vendor estimates, Morozin said, “Those quotes are reasonable and will be discussed at the first work session in November to hopefully get this project over the finish line and approved.”
One of my favorite parts of livestreaming the meetings was having family members of someone being recognized at a meeting, or even being sworn into a seat on Council, reach out and express their gratitude that relatives around the country were able to see that moment.
I'm excited that Councilman Morozin has a plan, the knowledge, and the determination to bring that opportunity back in 2027.
