Mayor Casts Deciding Vote Over Allowing Zoom Meetings In Sayreville
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SAYREVILLE, NJ — A proposal to allow residents to participate in Borough Council meetings through Zoom failed Monday night after council members debated whether virtual participation would improve public access or reduce meaningful public discussion.
The motion, introduced by Councilman Alberto Rios during the July 20 Borough Council meeting, sought to direct borough staff to implement Zoom public participation for future council meetings.
The proposal failed following a 3-3 council vote, with Mayor Kennedy O’Brien casting the tie-breaking vote against the measure.
Debate Comes As Borough Hall Elevator Remains Out Of Service
The discussion took place as Borough Hall’s elevator remained out of service.
To accommodate residents who could not access the second-floor council chambers, the borough opened the Mickey Sedlak Center, where attendees could watch the meeting and participate through a local video connection.
Rios said the temporary setup demonstrated that the borough already has the technology needed to expand public participation.
“If we took an oath to serve the residents of Sayreville, then we should also do everything we reasonably can to make it easier for them to participate in their local government,” Rios said.
He added that the evening’s meeting showed the borough has “the technology and infrastructure necessary to expand public access.”
Council Members Differ On Value Of Virtual Participation
Several council members opposed the proposal, saying in-person participation provides a better forum for public discussion.
Councilman Michael Pilesi said Zoom served an important purpose during the COVID-19 pandemic but questioned whether it remains necessary.
“It was for a reason, it was for COVID,” Pilesi said. “Everybody here, you made it, you’re here.”
Council President John Zebrowski also opposed the proposal, saying face-to-face participation creates stronger communication between residents and elected officials.
“There is nothing better than participation that comes from people that are here in person,” Zebrowski said.
He said his experience with virtual meetings has shown that participants can lose focus more easily.
“I’ve been on enough Zoom meetings to know that sometimes you just get bored and you lose interest,” Zebrowski said. “Quite frankly, I think it actually doesn’t lead to good communication.”
Councilman Stanley Synarski also voted against the proposal, saying the borough had already made accommodations for residents by opening the Mickey Sedlak Center during the meeting and that additional changes were not necessary at this time.
Mayor Casts Tie-Breaking Vote
The motion resulted in a 3-3 tie among council members.
Mayor Kennedy O’Brien cast the deciding vote against the proposal, saying he believes remote public participation was intended primarily for emergency situations. New Jersey expanded the use of remote public meetings during declared emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, through changes to state law and related guidance.
“The state legislature enacted the ability to use Zoom in the case of an emergency,” O’Brien said. “Since there isn’t an emergency… it does work better when it’s in person. There’s more dialogue.”
With the motion defeated, public participation at Sayreville Borough Council meetings will remain in person.
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