Dear Editor:
Earlier this week, it came to my attention the Hoboken Board of Education stopped the videotaping of their meeting on October 16th. This action is in direct violation of law. The NJ Supreme Court has upheld the public’s right to videotape public meetings. When cameras are turned off or documents disappear, the public has every right to question why and what someone wants to hide.
As some of you may know, I have been videotaping the school board and council meetings for well over a year and posting them on WeThePeopleReports.com. This website provides unedited access to public meetings and documents.
Through my efforts to bring open and transparent government to the city of Hoboken, the City Council agreed to begin airing their meetings on Channel 78.
For over a year now, I have been working with the Board of Education to resolve their violations of the law for open and transparent government. As part of our agreement, the Superintendent and the Board of Education agreed to air my videotapes of their meetings on Channel 77 unedited, uninterrupted and with a courtesy until they could establish a videotaping system of their own. I am providing this coverage free of charge to the residents of Hoboken.
I have met this week with the Superintendent and am now working to resolve this taping issue so the public will again be able to watch the entire Board of Education meetings on television. I call on the Trustees to immediately take the significant steps to fulfill their promise of public access.
As for the October 16th remarks made by a former Board of Education Trustee who demanded she not be videotaped, those comments will available on WeThePeopleReports.com as soon as the Board Secretary fills my request for the audiotape of the meeting.
I was elected by the residents of the 2nd Ward to open the doors and the books of government in Hoboken. I will continue to fight for open and transparent government, to encourage involvement in our schools and eliminate wasteful spending.
With this latest violation of the law, I will not stand by and be silent.
I will continue to fight for the public’s right to know.
Beth Mason
Councilwoman, 2nd Ward