Board still weighing whether to air meetings on EBTV

By vincent todaro
Staff Writer

Board still weighing whether
to air meetings on EBTV
By vincent todaro
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK — If the Board of Education decides to televise its meetings live, it is going to take at least nine months to get the broadcasting system up and running.

That was the message from Superintendent of Schools Jamie Savedoff, who addressed the issue at the board’s Aug. 30 meeting. Residents, as well as some board members, have said they support the idea of having the meetings aired on EBTV, but a majority of board members said earlier this summer they wanted further information about the issue and more time to consider their decision.

A vote on whether to televise meetings is expected at the board’s Sept. 12 meeting. The vote will not determine how the meetings will be broadcast — live or on tape — but only whether the board wants to broadcast them in some way. The decision on the means of broadcasting and other relevant issues will likely be determined at a later date.

Savedoff said he and the district’s public information officer, Jennifer Forbes, met with officials from the township, EBTV and the East Brunswick Public Library to discuss their questions about airing meetings.

"We found out it’s a little more complex than we thought," he said.

It would take nine months to get a system set up to televise the meetings live on EBTV. First, Comcast would have to do a survey to determine whether there is a fiber run from the board offices to EBTV. He said he has conflicting information as to whether one already exists. The fiber run is necessary to run a camera feed from the meeting room to EBTV for a broadcast.

The district also needs to get more figures regarding the cost of maintenance agreements, audio mixers, microphones and other equipment, Savedoff said.

A more expedient way to handle the situation, he said, would be to simply record the meeting and have EBTV televise it at some later date.

"There’s little involved in that," he said, adding it would require the meetings be taped, then delivered to EBTV for broadcast.

Board member Patrick Sirr said he hopes the Township Council will be willing to pay a portion of the costs, as it did pass a resolution urging the board to televise meetings.

Another question is how to deal with residents who speak during the public portions of meetings. Board members have voiced the concern that residents could begin talking about children’s personal issues, or complaining about teachers and staff on live television.

While there are laws prohibiting board members from discussing students’ personal issues, pending district litigation or personnel issues, there are none that stop the public from doing so.

At least one board member also expressed the fear that, if meetings are televised, parents would be more reluctant to talk about issues involving their children. The fear of speaking on television also could deter some from making public comments.

Board President Michael Baker said there would have to be rules of decorum and possible restrictions on speaking time if meetings are televised.

He said the board would make its decision on Sept. 12, and "then have a lot of follow-up work to do."

Sirr said he would not want the board to use a Township Council procedure that limits speakers from the public to no more than five minutes.

As usual, the members of the public who spoke favored televising the meetings.

Stephen Burak, a resident, noted his belief that the board has not done a good job of explaining its budgets to the public leading up to the annual school election each April, which is why the budgets have been voted down the last two years.

"(Voters) think there’s a slight black hole only because they don’t know where the money’s going," he said.

By airing its meetings, he said, the board could "see a turnaround in the vote."

Margaret Stemmler, another resident, said televising meetings "is an excellent idea."

"The taxes have been horrible over the last 15 years," she said, noting that she sees many houses for sale because people on fixed incomes cannot afford the increasing taxes. She noted, however, that there are many younger people in the township who cannot afford the taxes either.

All three Republican candidates for the Township Council spoke at the meeting, telling the board that they support the idea of televising its meetings, with Robert Tagliente saying he felt the best idea is to videotape them.

Candidate Christi Calvano said airing the meetings on EBTV would help to educate parents and the population as a whole as to what is going on in the district.

"The more people that have access to what’s going on, the more it’s good for the community as a whole," she said.