Sussex reviews proposed administrative code

SUSSEX BOROUGH — In an attempt to keep representative local government, Sussex Borough Council met with John Paff, trustee of the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government.

The Council reviewed an eight-page proposed Sussex Borough Administrative Code. The code could be included in a Sussex Borough ordinance, which would preserve open government in future Councils.

Paff said Sussex Borough is the first local government the foundation has ever talked to regarding an ordinance dedicated to the concept of open government.

Mayor Jonathan Rose said that he would like the philosophy of open government with the people and press to be continued in an ordinance that would outlast his tenure as mayor.

Paff and borough officials discussed at length the importance of posting on their website: a fixed agenda and audio recordings of all meetings, including individual committee meetings. Currently, the borough posts agendas and audio recordings of council meetings on its website.

Rose explained that the council adds emergency items as an addendum to the agenda.

Paff warned against opening a loophole regarding what qualifies as an “emergency.” He explained that there is “a tension between government expediency and democracy, and a fixed agenda is a powerful tool in the hands of the people.”

Individual committee audio recordings

Later, Paff said the only way to protect from unscrupulous people is to have “gavel-to-gavel audio.” He said the public has to see everything including: the idea, where it came from, who was for it or against it.

“Then they know who to vote for or not,” Paff said

Councilwoman Katherine Little said that recording committee meetings would be “very restrictive on committees.”

At the end of the discussion, the majority of the council agreed recording the committee meetings would be a good idea. Rose said that the government could try recording the Committee meetings for 6 months to see how it works.