Harrison Residents Locked Out Of Public Session at High Noon Meeting

The Mayor and Council of Harrison, NJ, held a Special Council meeting on Monday, July 1, 2024, at noon via Zoom. The agenda included several important items: the renewal of alcohol licenses, awarding a contract to an environmental services company for lead paint inspections in rental units, the sale of municipal property at auction, purchasing equipment for the Department of Public Works, and other business.

The official business portion of the meeting lasted approximately 10 minutes, which is typical for Harrison. Usually, there is little to no discussion of agenda items during the meetings. Occasionally, there may be questions during the fifteen-minute Caucus part of the meeting. However, at Monday’s Zoom meeting, the Caucus session was either not held or conducted privately, as the meeting immediately began with the Local Public Meetings statement and Salute to the Flag when it went live.

Chat Disabled During Harrison Mayor & Council High Noon Special Meeting

Public Locked Out of Participation

Zoom meetings are a convenient tool, especially during a holiday week with July 4th on Thursday. Many Town of Harrison elected officials had plans to be out of town, making a Special Mayor & Council meeting on Zoom an ideal alternative to an in-person meeting, especially to ensure a quorum.

However, the meeting's organization revealed a concerning attitude toward public participation. The Mayor and Council seem to prefer minimal public attendance and input, avoiding questions and suggestions that could improve Harrison's quality of life. During Monday’s meeting, the Town Clerk managed the session with the help of a staff member. The Zoom software offers options such as muting participants, chat features, and video settings controlled by the meeting organizer. Typically, public attendees wait in a virtual waiting room, are muted until the Public Session, and use the “Raise Your Hand” feature to speak. Yet, during Monday’s meeting, the “Raise Your Hand” feature was disabled, and the chat was turned off. Despite members of the public wanting to participate per New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Law, they were unable to get the Town Clerk’s attention.

Screenshot of Zoom Meeting Tray No Raise Your Hand Option

Consequences of Excluding the Public

While technology is beneficial, its misuse can have significant repercussions. The disabling of the Raise You Hand feature coupled with disabling the chat feature has forced the Town of Harrison to redo the High Noon Special Meeting to include a Public Session. If public speaking opportunities are denied in an in-person meeting, it would be deemed invalid. Public participation is a requirement under New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act.

Growing Public Engagement

Despite these challenges, public attendance at Mayor & Council meetings is increasing. Recently, several residents have raised important quality-of-life issues, leading to positive changes within the community. Resident participation has addressed concerns that might otherwise have been overlooked, fostering a sense of community and mutual support. The Mayor and Council have taken notice of this growing engagement and its impact.

Public involvement in these meetings is crucial for the continuous improvement and community spirit in Harrison. The Mayor and Council must recognize and facilitate this participation, ensuring transparency and responsiveness to residents' needs and concerns.

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