Board approves remote participation for volunteers on select committees

The Tinicum Township Board of Supervisors approved a motion to permit volunteers on certain advisory committees to participate remotely upon showing good cause, a change the board said is intended to reduce barriers to volunteer service.

Board members discussed practical setups — a speakerphone in the meeting room or committee members calling in on personal cell phones — and the legal framework under Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act and Office of Open Records guidance. "Agency members may participate ... in addition, members participating in this manner count for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present," the board noted while describing the requirement that remote participants be heard and be able to hear all present.

The motion specifically named the Parks & Recreation Committee, Land Preservation Committee, Historic Commission and the Environmental Advisory Council as eligible to permit remote participation for volunteers. The board recorded the motion, conducted a public comment period on the change, and approved it by voice vote. Staff will finalize procedures and forms for committee use and bring volunteer paperwork back to the board for review.