Stafford Mayor McMenamin Limits Televised Public Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Manahawkin, NJ - November 3, 2010
CONTACT: Nina Mullin, 609-597-1000
John McMenamin, Mayor of Stafford Township, announced at the council meeting on Monday night that the public-comment portion of the meetings would no longer be shown on television as a precaution against libelous remarks and grandstanding, and to ensure that policies regarding comments are followed. He stated, “The public can still comment at the meetings and the comments will continue to be part of the public record – except that they won’t be televised.”
“We want the public to participate, but it is necessary that speakers follow the decorum, procedures and policies that have been established,” he stated. “Unfortunately, the process has been abused by certain members of the public with political agendas who have engaged in grandstanding, name-calling and making derogatory comments that were too personal and not appropriate for public television.” Mayor McMenamin said that recently a member of the public falsely accused someone of criminal activity during the televised public comment portion of the meeting . “It only takes one time to get sued for slander,” he said. “It’s our broadcast and we are liable for what airs,” he said.
The meetings are currently broadcast live. The mayor said, “Even if we prerecorded the meetings for a later broadcast, it would not be appropriate for me to decide which public comments to edit and which public comments not to edit. We are not in the business of producing TV shows.”
The regular business portions of the Township meetings will continue to be televised.
