Hillsdale Experimenting With New Council Meeting Format

The Hillsdale Council will hold a "work session" during their meeting next week.

Officials will sit at a table for the first portion of their meeting in order to have a face-to-face discussion, which can be difficult at the dais where they normally sit. Mayor Max Arnowitz said that he cannot even see council members on the far ends of the dais from his seat.

Councilman Larry Meyerson said he had seen other councils use work sessions successfully. The Westwood and Washington Township councils both hold work sessions once per month.

"The approach is a little friendlier," Meyerson said.

Arnowitz said the council used to hold work sessions, at which they took no action and did not allow public comment. They changed the practice after the law changed and required public comment at all meetings.

Borough attorney Eric Bernstein noted that the public will still have an opportunity to speak at the work sessions.

The council will try holding the work session at their second meeting of each month, which usually has less on the agenda than the first meeting.

The Hillsdale Council's next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building.

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