Seemingly, what is good for the goose is NOT good for the gander with regard to Ridgewood Village Council members
During the May 28, 2014 Village Council meeting at which a formal vote was taken on the Village’s 2014 Municipal Budget, Village Clerk Heather Mailander informed those present that Councilman Thomas M, Riche would be marked as “absent” in connection with the vote because he was not physically present at the meeting. Mr. Riche was marked as “absent” despite his issuance of a signed statement, which was read aloud by Ms. Mailander, indicating his objection to the budget. This blogger wonders if Mr. Riche was informed that he could legally cast his vote on the budget via telephone or internet?
Fast forward – Sources within Village Hall are reporting that Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck will not be physically present during the Village Council’s July 1, 2014 Reorganization Meeting. Instead, Ms. Hauck will be vacationing overseas with members of her family. But, she will be permitted to cast several official votes related to Village Council matters that day via Skype. Perfectly legal? Yes. Despicable? Yes. Disgraceful? Yes. Yet another slap in the faces of Ridgewood taxpayers? Yes again. Will the 3 Amigos ever stop? Obviously not. And the band played on . . .
2016 can’t come fast enough for this blogger.
Being ‘live’ on Skype allows for input, questions and answers.
A written statement does not allow ‘participation’.
Big difference.
Give me a break. This is insulting and arrogant of Mrs. Hauck. Be there or don’t vote. I hope the Skype connection fails miserably. This is despicable.
Don’t blame Hauck for being with the times and using technology available to her. Blame Riche for failing to do so.
The irony is that Riche owns a Telcom outfit or something. If only he could have known that certain technology was at his disposal…
some people still have jobs and have to work, we aren’t all dilettantes or “work” for the Government
It’s all about priorities, young James.
If Riche was too busy with personal pursuits to appropriately represent the interests of his constituents at a city consul vote, then he failed to fulfill his mandate.
Evidently, Mrs Hauck is taking measures to ensure she doesn’t fail hers.
again you have clearly never worked in an executive function ,sometimes even with the best intentions things have to get done and its impractical or impossible to skype . Ms Hauck is on vacation
Was Mr. Riche offered such an option?
Dylan Hansen must be sweating bullets.
Give me a break. This has nothing to do with Ms. Hauck taking steps to appropriately represent the interests of her constituents. This is all about ensuring enough Council votes to elect Mr. Aronsohn as Mayor again.
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time. Thank you Abraham Lincoln.
Elected officials should schedule vacations around major votes and meetings. It is not that many meetings that you couldn’t schedule around them.
That having been said, many BOD meetings for very large corporations allow directors to call-in or video conference in. I am not sure that is good either but it is not an unprecedented step.
Is there anything that could cause Skype not to work? Just wondering.
yes bad or no connectivity
or an unsecure network
Clearly Aronsohn and Pucciarelli are posting like mad, making sure that they get their blonde to vote for them when it comes to deciding on the next mayor and deputy mayor.
I agree with #8. It is all about the three of them voting in lock step in the reorganization.
Question:
May a member of a public body participate in a public meeting by telephone conference call?
Answer:
Yes. The definition of “Meeting” in the Sunshine Law “includes any gathering whether corporeal or by means of communication equipment.” N.J.S.A. 10:4-8
# 15 – Well, I wish we could get Roger Wiegand to weigh in from the great beyond by some means of communication equipment. I would love to hear what he would say about the latest shenanigans.
I can see it now. At the next council meeting there will just be 5 video monitors that you can talk to. No need for any elected official to be there.
Will she be here for the Council’s Valley hospital Vote? Sure she will, even if daddy has to pay for a private jet to fly her in from wherever she is.
Don’t forget “Malkia” Hauck you will be 5 hours ahead of N.J time.
Im sure Paul will call you collect to remind you.
There are now numerous examples of double standards with our Mayor and his running mates. They somehow think that rules are for “others” because they know better than the rest of us. A look back….
Free tickets to the Christie fundraiser donated by a developer with plans before the town….
Caught meeting with developers twice in violation of the Sunshine Law…
Mrs Hauck’s piling on to Mr. Richie saying that he had an obligation to avoid “even the appearance” of a conflict, yet she has yet to recuse herself from voting on Valley where she was Chairperson of multiple fundraising events…
And we’re only halfway through this team’s term
Expect a huge lawsuit from one of the regular gadflies the first time he/she requests to participate in the public comment portion of a Village Council meeting via Skype and the Council says no.
Cha-ching for Matt Rogers.