Governments Learn to Meet Remotely

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WILDWOOD – Governments are struggling with how to handle public meetings and official business with no end to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic in sight.
Wildwood 
In Wildwood, the March 25 Board of Commissioners meeting was postponed at the last moment, when it was discovered the wrong call-in-number was distributed to the public, for them to listen and join live.
“This isn’t really going to be an issue. Last week was just a situation where it all happened so quickly that we thought we had it nailed. Unfortunately, there was a change in the phone number the clerk put out. That was an honest mistake. I don’t anticipate we’re going to have another issue this week,” Mayor Peter Byron said in an interview with the Herald.
For the meeting rescheduled to April 1, Byron said he expects the city will try Zoom, the videoconferencing application that has gained popularity during the social distancing period which has forced workplaces to close to let employees work remotely.
“The city has things that have to move on. Government has to move on,” Byron continued. “We want everybody to be as involved as we can. But we understand this is a unique situation and there’s going to be times when people are not going to be able to participate. And that’s unfortunate.”
Wildwood Crest
In Wildwood Crest, commissioners held their meeting March 25, with live streaming on YouTube and Facebook. Residents could call in and ask questions over a speakerphone which was positioned on a conference table in front of the dais.
“It’s a challenge. I’m an OCD, ADD perfectionist. I know I drive my staff nuts in my personal business and my public business. It is what it is and at the end of the day, it’s all for openness and transparency,” Mayor Don Cabrera said.
Despite some sound quality issues and a delay for those participating via the online feed, the meeting ran smoothly. Cabrera said the city ordered new microphones so commissioners would be heard directly, not just by a camera microphone, for the next meeting.
At one point an ordinance discussing salary increases was up for public hearing but was adopted before someone on the line was able to get the attention of the clerk or commissioners to ask their question.
After voting to adopt the ordinance, commissioners fielded the resident’s questions. There were several other callers who were able to interact and ask questions. Town officials also read Facebook comments to commissioners.
Cabrera said there are multiple ways to contact and express questions or feelings to commissioners ahead of meetings or votes.
North Wildwood
In North Wildwood, Zoom was used for a recent planning board meeting. At first, the audio problems were almost unbearable with echos and feedback. 
Eventually, city Administrator Ronald Simone began going around the horn, rotating who spoke, and muting all microphones other than the current speaker, which solved the audio issues.
“I think one of the things that’s going to come out of this whole experience is going to be a revolution in telemeetings, telecommuting, teleworking and teleschool. I kind of knew that technology was out there – I think everybody kind of knew about it — but nobody was ever really using it to the level they’re using it right now. It’s very efficient,” North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello said, adding he expects it to remain popular after the pandemic passes.
West Wildwood
Meanwhile, in West Wildwood, the next two meetings are cancelled, according to Donna Frederick, the borough clerk.  
Mayor Christopher Fox did not return the Herald’s request for a comment.
Asked if there were plans to hold meetings remotely, Frederick said she hadn’t “been advised of any such plan.”
Linking with Others
In Wildwood, Byron said city officials have communicated with other municipalities to gauge what worked and what didn’t work for them in various meetings since the social distancing guidelines have forced public buildings shut.
“Between our clerk and our administrator, there has been contact to see what mechanism they used and how successful it was,” Byron said.
To contact Shay Roddy, email sroddy@cmcherald.com.