December 2001 / January 2002 Edition

Using the Web to Facilitate Discussion   At a recent Borough Council meeting, Lloyd Dorfman, noting that there were only six people present, asked if there was a way that people who register their e- mail, could be notified when issues that need public consensus are going to be debated by the Council.  Mr. Dorfman wondered why on issues that were important to the Council and important to the town, e-mail was being overlooked.   He noted that there were more people participating in the Fair Lawn News Discussion Forum than attending a Council meeting.     Mayor David Ganz suggested that Mr. Dorfman use the Borough's website for information.  He said that once the Borough becomes a repository of e-mail addresses, there will be the legal issue of what entities are entitled to access them because then it would become a public document. That is potentially problematical.   He also said that from a legal standpoint, e- mail is not good notice. It does not legally satisfy legal notice requirements. He said the state legislature has not caught up with the fact that electronic methods of communications are much easier, faster and more likely to get a response than the old fashioned snail mail.   Deputy Mayor Marty Etler stated if the issue is important, the borough advertises the meeting. If there is a matter of concern, people can come to the meetings and air their concerns and questions.   He said that what Mr. Dorfman was asking for may sound reasonable to him but in the governmental sense it does not make sense. Nothing replaces person to person contact.    Councilmember Victor Amato said the Borough website was chock full of information.  He mentioned that the website won an award for being one of the finest in the state and he is satisfied with where the Borough's website is at this time.  Councilmember Amato did not think sending notices of what happened at meetings would be productive.   Borough Attorney Richard Lustgarten said that an interactive participation between the Council and the residents is impractical because Council members are not full time. In addition, that kind of dialog is more appropriate at a Council Meeting collectively.    He said the discussions that are on the Fair Lawn News website are like discussions that used to take place in town square years ago. Now it is done electronically.  Asking the Council to get involved in that type of dialog creates legal issues because if there are one or two Councilmember's in that dialog are they speaking as an individual or are they taking a Council position. Council positions have to be taken by formal action at meetings.  He said that when people are interested in a particular subject, they have filled these chambers. He felt that the people think if it is not a major issue let the Council member's do their jobs.    Borough Manager Barbara Sacks stated the Municipal Clerk sends a great deal of information on a timely basis to the Webmaster and it does get posted.   People are getting the information.     What Do You Think?: Send an e- mail to editor@fairlawnnews.com or post a message on the Fair Lawn News Discussion Forum.