Reinstate live streaming for public working sessions in Hopatcong


Reinstate live streaming for public working sessions in Hopatcong
The Issue
At the March 18 council meeting, a vote was taken on whether to allow live streaming of public work sessions. The vote resulted in a tie, and Mayor Marie Galate cast the tie-breaking vote against permitting live streaming, thereby preventing the public from viewing these meetings remotely.
All residents deserve equal access to information about their local government, regardless of whether they can physically attend meetings at the municipal building. Many individuals— including homebound residents, seniors, those unable to drive at night, and residents whose work schedules prevent in-person attendance— rely on live streaming to stay informed.
As a direct result of this decision, the public will be unable to view the upcoming budget work session, where critical discussions regarding the use of tax dollars take place.
The council members who voted against providing this transparency were:
• Mayor Marie Galate
• Council President Steve Kucevic
• Councilman Anthony Bongiovani
• Councilman Jonathan Taylor
These are public meetings, and every resident should have the opportunity to hear the discussions and provide feedback.
We urge every resident to sign this petition and hold those who are trying to keep us in the dark fully accountable for their actions. Restricting access to public meetings is not only unethical—it’s a shameful betrayal of the full transparency they explicitly promised us with our own tax dollars. This blatant hypocrisy and contempt for the public’s right to know cannot be tolerated any longer. Demand better, or they’ll keep doing it.
155
The Issue
At the March 18 council meeting, a vote was taken on whether to allow live streaming of public work sessions. The vote resulted in a tie, and Mayor Marie Galate cast the tie-breaking vote against permitting live streaming, thereby preventing the public from viewing these meetings remotely.
All residents deserve equal access to information about their local government, regardless of whether they can physically attend meetings at the municipal building. Many individuals— including homebound residents, seniors, those unable to drive at night, and residents whose work schedules prevent in-person attendance— rely on live streaming to stay informed.
As a direct result of this decision, the public will be unable to view the upcoming budget work session, where critical discussions regarding the use of tax dollars take place.
The council members who voted against providing this transparency were:
• Mayor Marie Galate
• Council President Steve Kucevic
• Councilman Anthony Bongiovani
• Councilman Jonathan Taylor
These are public meetings, and every resident should have the opportunity to hear the discussions and provide feedback.
We urge every resident to sign this petition and hold those who are trying to keep us in the dark fully accountable for their actions. Restricting access to public meetings is not only unethical—it’s a shameful betrayal of the full transparency they explicitly promised us with our own tax dollars. This blatant hypocrisy and contempt for the public’s right to know cannot be tolerated any longer. Demand better, or they’ll keep doing it.
155
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on March 22, 2026