Gloucester Township Council Refuses to Add Email Addresses to Website
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Note from Tom Crone, SJCU Executive Director
It has been one week since SJCU asked the Gloucester Township Council to add individual email addresses to their website in order to facilitate a better duologue with residents directly.
Under the current system emails to the GT Council are collected by the Clerk's office, sent to the Solicitors office then to the council President for distribution to council members. Why would the town's lawyer need to review correspondence from constituents, why would citizens be denied a direct line of communication to those they elected to represent them.
I met with Mayor Mayer on Tuesday 3/15/2011 to discuss this and other matters. He was almost hostile in his defence of the lack of transparency. Right now we are researching the towns within Camden County that have websites and of those how many have individual emails addresses for their council members. Quick glance puts GT in the minority. More to come on this issue.
Next SJCU meeting is 4/5/11 at the Winslow Dinner.
Thanks, Tom Crone
Mr. President,
In follow up to my verbal request at the 3/14/11 council meeting this will serve as a written request that each and every council member have a personalized email that is accessed by them exclusively. As I stated it is the absolute right of every citizen to speak freely with their elected representatives directly with no bureaucratic interference. Transparency and open government begins with unfettered access and communication and it is our contention that the current process inhibits that access.
We applaud the clerk for her efforts but she is an appointed official and not elected by The People. It would be a pleasure as I indicated, to speak with you and the other members of Council personally on this and many other matters. Our hope is that you see the merit in open and accessable government in deed as well as word.
Please feel free to contact me at any time regarding this matter. I respect and appreciate your time in this matter.
Respectfully,
Tom Crone
Executive Director
www.SJCitizensUnited.org