No More Zoom Meetings For Ocean City Council For Now

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Although residents asked to keep Zoom meetings in Ocean City, the City Council has decided to stop allowing virtual participation in meetings for now.

"We are always looking at adapting to the ever-changing environment, whether it's an ordinance or whether it's a Zoom," Council President Pete Madden said at a recent meeting. "So we're trying to do the best for the many, not the few."

The decision to remove Zoom meetings started after the Council reorganized in July, with residents asking for the virtual component to be kept. However, Madden said that the decision was not an absolute and that the Council would continually look at options. Read More: Return Ocean City Council Zoom Meetings, Residents Say

Madden said that though residents could not participate through Zoom, the video recording of the meeting would be uploaded the next day on the Ocean City website and members of the Council could be easily reached through email or phone.

"Our task up here is to look at the whole, which we'll continually do," Madden said.

Business Administrator George Savastano voiced the administration's opinion against reviving Zoom meetings.

"The government is transparent," Savastano said, reiterating Madden's point that the public has other opportunities to participate by going in-person or reaching out to the Council.

"They can send an email, they can send a letter, they can call you up, they can call the administration," he said.

Savastano addressed those who asked for Planning and Zoning Board meetings to be shared on Zoom as well, saying that they could not because they are legal hearings.

"Things could get lost in translation, and that does a disservice to the applicants," he said.

Savastano also that having Zoom comments in Council meetings adds how many people speak, giving each person less time. "I don't believe that's fair to folks who have made the effort and participate in the public process as it's dictated by law," he said.

"It's more harmful than helpful," Savastano said. "It's not efficient, it's not effective and it doesn't do service to the business of the people."

Resident Suzanne Hornick spoke in support of Zoom meetings and asked for them to be reinstated.

"It enabled people who ordinarily could not participate the opportunity to engage with our local government," she said. "In fact, some meetings had record numbers of participants."

"We don't want a Council that isn't transparent and purposely discourages people from participating in our local government. And this seems like that's exactly what's happening," Hornick said.