If the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education had decided at one of its public meetings to suddenly go into executive session without having previously posted the legally required 48-hour notice, and without stating the topic of the closed session, all hell could have broken loose.
Yet, at its very first public meeting last week, the newly-reconstituted Somerset County Park Commission violated one or both of those requirements, and not a peep has been heard from anyone in a position of public responsibility. Reports by Joe Tyrrell noted this occurrence in the Star-Ledger. Other than for such media vigilance, probably few would even know.
The six new commissioners are an impressive group. Among them there should be at least several who understand the requirements of New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act. Certainly the remaining incumbents must. So, why the closed-door meeting? What was discussed?
At last Tuesday’s meeting of the Somerset County Freeholders, everyone who spoke about the newly-appointed park commissioners praised their qualifications -- deservedly so. Yet no one questioned the commissioners about that executive session.
The newly-reconstituted park commission may be made up of blue ribbon people, but that does not give it the privilege of ignoring the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act. Two of their representatives, Rose McConnell and Robert Horowitz committed themselves on Tuesday evening to restoring the integrity of the park commission. This is not the way to do it.
Indeed, that closed session, whatever its purpose may have been, may have caused a hairline fracture to the nascent integrity of the new Somerset County Park Commission. It’s repairable, but it needs attention.
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