Resident urges greater openness after council’s closed‑session discussion

During public comment at the March 2 Saddle River council meeting, resident Henry Sanger criticized the governing body’s recent use of executive session and asked the council to provide public clarification and records.

Sanger said a discussion held in the council’s prior closed session about forming an advisory committee to consult with a deer‑management vendor belonged in open session. He told the council, "By moving the conversation behind closed doors, this council denied the community its fundamental right to witness how public policy is being shaped," and asked whether the mayor had confirmed he was in a private location while participating remotely during the earlier closed meeting.

Council members responded by pointing to the executive‑session resolution read into the record at the start of the meeting, which cited NJSA 10:4‑12 and listed pending or anticipated litigation, contract negotiations and attorney‑client privileged matters as the basis for closure. The mayor and clerk said a formal vote on the matter was recorded on the public record after the closed session; residents said they want a clearer public accounting of the legal basis and a summary of closed‑session minutes.

What happened next: The council moved again into closed session later in the evening under the same statutory citation. Sanger and other residents said they intend to press for release of minutes and a clearer public explanation of when executive session is used.

What’s next: Council officials indicated they will rely on the statutory process for executive sessions and the minutes process; residents requested the borough review and publicly confirm the legal standards applied and to release required minutes or summaries.