Report: Open Public Meetings Act Violation Possible in Hightstown

Four Hightstown council members exchanged emails about two resolutions, possibly violating the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, according to a report in the Trenton Times.

At a June 18 council meeting Mayor Steven Kirson said members weren’t being transparent and he suspected the act was violated.

“I suspect that the sunshine laws were treaded on between the meetings of May 30 and June 4,” Kirson said at the meeting.

Two resolutions were introduced at a June 4 meeting without public notice, one by council member Gail Doran calling for Borough Hall to be centrally located, and one by council member Susan Bluth, stating the council be kept informed of matters relating to Borough Hall. 

According to the Times report, Doran, Bluth and council members Lynne Woods and Robert Thibault, all exchanged emailed on the resolutions, making a council majority involved.

Thibault and Bluth said in the report that the law was not violated, but retired municipal attorney disagreed. 

“There is no doubt in my mind that it is a Sunshine (Law) violation,” retired attorney Michael Hartsough told the Trenton Times. 

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