AVALON – In July, Avalon Borough Council approved a six-month experiment providing video access to governing body meetings. While no formal vote was taken at the Dec. 15 council work session, governing body members showed broad support for continuing video access in 2022.
Avalon was later than many other municipalities in providing remote access to council meetings even though Council member John McCorristin, advocated for it.
When the borough agreed to provide remote access, it elected not to use an interactive platform, like Zoom, and instead went with a video and audio recording of the meeting that can be watched live or accessed later as a YouTube video.
McCorristin used the work session to argue for extending the access by allowing the public to make comments or ask questions via a telephone connection. The council was split on the suggestion, with three members expressing some level of support and two in opposition.
Council President Barbara Juzaitis said those members of the public who wish to speak to the council can do so by coming to the meetings. She did not address the fact that most property owners in the borough are second homeowners and not physically present in the borough for many months of the year.
