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Board fixes published hearing notice, adopts update to County building use and filming rules after public comment
Summary
The Hudson County Board of County Commissioners corrected a published notice on the record and adopted an amendment to County building-use and filming rules July 17 after public comment flagged park access and photography questions.
Hudson County adopted an ordinance July 17 that amends county rules on public use of County buildings and related filming and photography procedures after a public hearing and a procedural correction to the published notice.
A member of the public, Mark Bloomberg, told the board he had requested the underlying ordinance text by OPRA and did not have adequate time to review it before the hearing. He asked whether people are permitted to photograph inside County facilities and raised a complaint about locked gates at Braddock Park facilities. He also flagged an apparent discrepancy in the newspaper notice that gave the wrong hearing date. County Counsel Alberico De Pierro and the Clerk confirmed the notice published for the public indicated the correct hearing date and the board adopted a technical amendment on the record to correct the ordinance text before the final vote.
The board adopted the ordinance by a roll-call vote with Aponte-Lipski, Baselice, Cedeño, Cifelli and Rodriguez voting yes; Commissioner William O'Dea voted no; the clerk recorded one abstention (Commissioner Cifelli recorded as abstaining on final adoption in the roll call transcript). The final tally was 5 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain. The clerk said the ordinance and corrected notice will be published as required by law.
Public concerns raised at the hearing included: what County buildings are designated "open" vs. "restricted," whether members of the public may take photographs in County facilities, and who controls locked gates at Braddock Park facilities. County counsel said those questions depend on each building's designation under the ordinance and the board asked counsel and administration to provide published copies of the underlying ordinance language and the published advertisement for public review.
Why it matters: The ordinance clarifies access rules for County buildings and procedures for filming or photography in county facilities. Members of the public and at least one commissioner said the county should post ordinances and supporting materials earlier so residents can review them before hearings.
What’s next: County counsel and the clerk will make the published notice and the underlying ordinance text available for public inspection; staff will provide the board a clarification of which county facilities are designated as open, restricted or closed under the amended rules.
