Pitman council weighs paying to livestream meetings; estimated cost $5,000

Councilwoman Guarni asked the Borough Council on June 23 to consider providing live streaming of council meetings on the Borough website to improve accessibility and transparency. She said volunteers have been independently streaming on Facebook and that she met with Board of Education IT staff to understand equipment and staffing needs, citing an "approximate cost of $5,000 to provide this service."

The request prompted discussion of legal and technical requirements. Solicitor Wright explained the difference between broadcasting a meeting and holding a virtual meeting: broadcasting or recording is a one-way transmission, while a virtual meeting requires the platform capability for public engagement. He added that if the Borough meets its advertising obligations under the Open Public Meetings Act, "there should be no other liability for the broadcasting aspect of it." Administrator McCafferty said running virtual meetings can be challenging and typically requires at least two people—one to run the agenda and another to manage equipment and public comments.

Council did not vote on the proposal at the work session. The discussion closed by motion at 7:51 p.m., with Mazzola moving, Uyehara seconding and "Ayes all." Solicitor Wright and Administrator McCafferty will prepare any needed drafts or cost estimates for future consideration and a potential formal vote.