Like cockroaches running for cover when the light comes on, the governing bodies of Aberdeen Township and Matawan Borough fled the room when they realized their recent meeting with the Board of Education would be videotaped. I will point out to the councils that the school board meetings have been videotaped for years; they can’t say they didn’t know about that. The comment about the councils not having an ordinance allowing taping sounds like a weak cop-out. Lame, guys.
Whether you attended the meeting or not, voted for or against the budget, or support the proposed cuts or not, this childish episode is cause for concern because we as residents were not represented.
One possible reason for their display could be that everything about the Aberdeen Township Council is cleverly orchestrated and spun. What you normally read in the paper is usually a prepared press release from their public relations firm, complete with knowledgeable quotes from Mayor David Sobel or some councilman. I’m sure as soon as they left the meeting, their PR man was told to go into "damage control" mode. By the time you read this, they no doubt will attempt to spin matters in their favor. To have walked in with the cameras rolling would have been a sacrifice of the council’s "all spin zone."
If the two councils feel an ordinance is needed before they can be videotaped in session, I encourage both towns to pass such ordinances if it makes them happy. Actually, videotaping council meetings can only serve the public, if not the "spinmeisters."
To those four council members from Matawan who decided to return to the meeting, I say "thank you." Both councils should have been there for the duration. I offered my theory as to why the township left. Perhaps the borough was in the spirit of cooperating with the township when its council followed suit and the four members then having second thoughts, returned.
Cooperation between Matawan and Aberdeen is important and commendable. However, I will advise the Matawan Council to watch where you cooperate and on what issues. Don’t let the Aberdeen leaders put you in an embarrassing situation. He who lays down with dogs wakes up with fleas.
As for the Aberdeen Council, apologize now.
Edward G. Fitzgerald
Aberdeen