Berkeley Heights Communication Committee Seeks to Create Transparency, Community Engagement

The Berkeley Heights Communications Committee presented its vision to the township council on Wed. Feb. 22, 2012, and requested approval of a $33,250 budget to develop communications plans and infrastructure that will promote community awareness and engagement.

Committee Chair Nick Schiavo outlined the committee’s plans which include continued improvements to the township Web site, the promotion of locally produced programming, and the installation of a visual recording system in the main meeting room of town hall.

“We hope to create transparency and make it easy for busy residents and business owners to access vital township information when they are unable to attend municipal meetings,” Schiavo said.  

Donald DeFabio, Vice-Chairman of the Communications Committee said the proposed recording system would make it possible to broadcast news live to residents in a state of emergency directly from town hall, and would simplify the process of recording all municipal meetings and making them available for viewing on cable television within 24 to 48 hours instead of the current set up which takes 30 days.

There are several new local television programs already in production including: This Week in Berkeley Heights, a 15 minute community news program aired weekly on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. on Comcast 34 and FiOS 47, which is hosted by journalists from AOL Berkeley Heights Patch.com and The Alternative Press of Berkeley Heights, and A Cup of Joe, featuring discussions with Mayor Joseph Bruno.

'This Week in Berkeley Heights' offers news highlights focused on Berkeley Heights as well as two five-minute segments, Community Corner which features discussions with local volunteers, elected officials and subject matter experts, and a business profile.

Recent business profiles have included: Sublime Salon & Day Spa, Respira Salt Therapy, Dimaio's Cucina Restaurant, and Tailoring by Marco. 

Another program in production, Spotlight on Berkeley Heights, is sponsored, produced and hosted by DeFabio.

“Now, more than ever, it is important for the community to have access to timely and accurate information, and this is central to our goal,” Schiavo said.

“Our goal is to keep the community informed and encourage business owners and residents to get involved in creating content for community access television which will benefit everyone,” DeFabio said.

The current programs are produced at the television studio located within Governor Livingston High School, managed by Joe Vorhees.

Members of the community interested in producing a talk show, for instance, would be able to utilize the studio with a staff provided for two hours of shooting and two hours of editing for $265.

DeFabio and Schiavo told the council that the goal of the committee is to operate with zero based budgeting.

Once the capital improvements are made, which would include the new recording system in town hall, on-going operating costs would be covered by sponsors and producers who would then pay for studio time, according to Schiavo.

He said considerable improvements have been made to the township Web site recently and he has received very positive feedback about the changes. The township Web site address is: http://www.berkeleyheightstwp.com

Residents and business owners interested in appearing as guests on -- This Week in Berkeley Heights or interested in producing a program should contact Schiavo at: nicholas.schiavobh@gmail.com.

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