Resident says county blocked Zoom app access; commissioners approve minutes, resolutions and vouchers

Charlie Attabill, a Brunswick resident, told Middlesex County meeting hosts during public comment that the county has been preventing people from joining meetings through the Zoom app and asked officials to restore that access.

Attabill said he had been able to join previously but that when he tries to enter the webinar ID and passcode provided by the county the Zoom app reports “you have the wrong password.” “And the reason for that is because you've purposely set up the meeting to bar people from using the Zoom app,” Attabill said. He added that forcing callers to join by phone reduces accessibility and “the only effect of it is that some people might be trying to join and they're being denied the ability to join.”

A meeting host representing Middlesex County responded to Attabill’s comments, saying the limitation was not intentional. “Is it intentional? No. It's not intentional,” the staff member said. The host also told Attabill that “a video meeting is not gonna change anything, miss Charlie. It's still the same meeting,” and said county officials would inquire about the technical issue. At no point in the exchange did staff provide a technical explanation for the Zoom app error message.

Attabill repeatedly asked that the county allow residents to connect through the Zoom app and to explain why access had changed since prior meetings. The staff member said they would “find out” and investigate whether the county’s meeting settings or disseminated information were responsible for the denied access.

The remainder of the meeting proceeded with routine business. The body moved and seconded to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 9; the motion was approved by voice vote. Commissioners also moved to approve the listed resolutions and the payment of vouchers by voice vote. Carol (staff) confirmed there would be no executive session that night, and a motion to adjourn carried by voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of July 9 — motion and second recorded; outcome: approved by voice vote; individual roll-call votes not specified in the transcript.

- Approval of resolutions — motion and second recorded; outcome: approved by voice vote; individual roll-call votes not specified in the transcript.

- Motion for payment of vouchers — motion and second recorded; outcome: approved by voice vote; individual roll-call votes not specified in the transcript.

- Motion to adjourn — motion and second recorded; outcome: approved by voice vote.

The meeting record shows no formal technical or policy explanation from county staff about the Zoom app behavior beyond the staff member’s assertion that denying access was not intentional and that staff would “find out.” Attabill said he planned to follow up and asked that commissioners test joining via the Zoom app using the county’s published webinar ID and passcode. The meeting then moved on to scheduled business and adjourned.