Videotaping the meetings of the City Council
is hereby permitted, subject to the regulations set forth below:
A. Videotaping shall not be permitted to interfere, obstruct
or otherwise disturb the proceedings;
B. All videotaping must be done in an unobtrusive manner.
No artificial photographic lighting shall be permitted. The equipment
used must be operated silently;
C. Video equipment must be positioned at the back of
the meeting room, or such other location designated by the Council
President, so as not to obstruct or interfere with the view or participation
of others in the meetings;
D. In order to enable the City Council to ensure the
accuracy of such videotapes, a person intending to videotape a City
Council meeting must give prior written notice to the City Clerk's
office by 3:00 p.m. on the day before the meeting and must agree to
provide the City Council with an unedited copy of the videotape within
24 hours of the meeting without cost to the Council. Failure to comply
with this requirement shall be grounds for denying future taping;
E. The City Council has the right to suspend videotaping,
by a recorded roll-call vote of a majority of those members present
and voting, under the following circumstances:
(1) During any portion of a meeting wherein a member of
the public wishes to address the City Council and not be recorded;
(2) During any portion of a meeting which is closed to
the general public under any provision of the Open Public Meetings
Act;
(3) At any time where such recording would cause a substantial
increase in the threat of or the potential for harm to a participant
or Council member or would otherwise interfere with the proceedings;
or
(4) For other good cause based on the facts of a certain
situation;
F. The City of Passaic is not liable for any equipment
lost or damaged which is used to videotape the City Council meetings;
and
G. No more than two cameras shall be used at any one
time, on a first-come-first-served basis. The Council President shall
have the discretion on how many cameras may be used on a first-come-first-basis.