BOE Meetings Coming to a Computer Near You

Whether you’d like to catch-up on the latest hot-button issue or share video of your child being recognized by the Board of Education with family hundreds of miles away, anyone anywhere will soon be able to watch recordings of Westfield Board of Education meetings on-demand simply by accessing the district’s website, according to a closely-contested motion the board passed 6-3 Tuesday night. 

Board member Mitch Slater introduced the video proposal, arguing that meetings be made available for online viewing “as soon as technologically possible.” In Union County, the Mountainside Board of Education and the Scotch Plains and New Providence municipal councils offer on-demand access to meeting coverage via their respective websites. 

Slater, the chairman of the Westfield Board of Education's ad-hoc technology committee, has made himself an advocate for increasing the board’s online presence. In May, he introduced and narrowly won approval for a measure on the district website.

On Tuesday night, he called upon the board to use all the technology at its disposal to make meetings more accessible and open to the public. Board member David Finn, who supported Slater’s May email proposal, seconded the motion. 

Board of Education President Julia Walker, by contrast, expressed concern about raising the board’s online exposure. Although she acknowledged that on-demand video would have its benefits, she argued that the videos could have a “chilling effect” on citizens’ willingness to speak at meetings. Some individuals already feel uncomfortable speaking at public meetings, she said, and making meetings available to more viewers by posting them online could make residents “disinclined” to come and speak.

“We still want you to come our meetings,” Walker stated.

Board Vice President Richard Mattessich pointed out that a similar argument could be made for allowing the meetings to be broadcast on television, but that the meetings have been shown on Westfield’s local television network for years.

Nevertheless, to prevent online meeting coverage from “going viral,” videos posted online would be uploaded in a format that bars online viewers from downloading the footage to their computers, Slater said. 

Board members Ginny Leiz and Jane Clancy suggested tabling the video proposal until the group’s Nov. 1 meeting to allow the public more time to provide feedback on the measure. A formal motion to table Slater’s measure, however, was defeated 5-4, with Walker and Ann Cary joining Leiz and Clancy. 

The BOE then voted on Slater’s proposal to implement the online videos. The motion passed, with only Walker, Leiz and Clancy opposing it. 

The quintet that voted against tabling the measure – Slater, Finn, Mattessich, Friedman and Kurstedt – was comprised of the same five members who approved the May email proposal. Tuesday night’s meeting, however, proved less contentious than the board’s debate five months ago.