Posted on

Palisades Park Council Explores Legal Action to Ban Councilman from Closed Meetings

banned 1726366 1280 2132523403

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Pailisades Park NJ, in a controversial move, Palisades Park’s mayor and Borough Council are considering legal action to bar Councilman Michael Vietri from attending future closed-door meetings. The action comes amid allegations that Vietri disclosed sensitive and confidential information discussed during these private sessions, potentially putting the borough at a disadvantage in ongoing negotiations.

However, legal experts question whether such a move is permissible under the Open Public Meetings Act, raising concerns about the legality of excluding an elected official from these sessions.

Why Is Palisades Park Considering This Action?

At a Dec. 30, 2024, council meeting, officials approved a resolution to hire the Cranford-based law firm Renaud Colicchio LLC to investigate allegations against Vietri. The special counsel, hired at a rate of $325 per hour with costs not exceeding $20,000, will look into claims that Vietri revealed privileged information, including details about police officer settlements discussed in executive sessions.

The allegations stem from two key incidents:

  1. Early 2024, when Vietri allegedly disclosed information from a closed-session meeting in an affidavit to an attorney against the borough.
  2. December 2024, when Vietri reportedly shared confidential settlement terms with police officers at a holiday party, according to Borough Attorney Scott Krumholz.

Vietri denies both allegations, asserting he did not attend the holiday party in question and calling the accusations “retaliation” for not aligning with the mayor’s decisions.

Allegations and Their Impact

The council claims Vietri’s actions have negatively affected police officer morale and jeopardized ongoing settlement negotiations. According to Krumholz, “speculative claims” shared by Vietri have created dissatisfaction among officers and complicated pending lawsuits.

“Some settlements are now in limbo, and this puts the borough in a disadvantageous position,” Krumholz said.

Can a Councilman Be Legally Barred from Meetings?

Legal experts are divided on whether Vietri can be excluded from executive sessions. Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, cites the Open Public Meetings Act, which states:

“No person or public body shall fail to invite a portion of its members to a meeting for the purpose of circumventing the provisions of this act.”

Rasmussen warns that excluding an elected official could render the entire meeting voidable. “While I’m sympathetic to their concerns, the law seems clear that you cannot exclude a duly elected member of the body from meetings,” Rasmussen said.

What’s Next for Palisades Park?

The special counsel’s investigation will determine whether evidence exists to substantiate the allegations against Vietri. If proven, legal actions may include barring him from closed meetings or escalating the matter to the Department of Community Affairs, which could lead to the loss of his council seat.

Until a formal complaint is filed, Vietri retains the right to attend all portions of council meetings.

The Broader Implications

This unprecedented situation raises questions about governance, transparency, and accountability in local politics. While the council seeks to protect the borough’s interests, any actions taken must comply with state law to avoid undermining public trust.

Tell your story #TheRidgewoodblog , #Indpendentnews, #information, #advertise, #guestpost, #affiliatemarketing,#NorthJersey, #NJ , #News, #localnews, #bergencounty, #sponsoredpost, #SponsoredContent, #contentplacement , #linkplacement, Email: Onlyonesmallvoice@gmail.com

3 thoughts on “Palisades Park Council Explores Legal Action to Ban Councilman from Closed Meetings

  1. Not sure disclosing what happened in closed session is illegal.
    It may be stupid, but not illegal.

    1. So much more to this story
      My town is a mess

  2. There’s more to this than being said. It sounds like they’re trying to push him out. What’s really going on? Somebody has to know.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *