December 26, 2007. Several weeks ago, the Mayor and Council of Harrison defeated a resolution proposed by Councilman Steve McCormick to install videotaping equipment in the council chambers which would have allowed town meetings to be broadcast on the town’s local access channel. Mayor McDonough stated during the public portion of the town meeting that the town could not afford spending $60,000 for video equipment. When it was suggested that Harrison High School students could use a basic video camera to videotape meetings as a class project at no cost to the town, Mayor Raymond McDonough stated that he did not want video cameras because he did not want "a circus" atmosphere at town meetings. KOTW agrees that $60,000 for video equipment to broadcast town meetings is a little bit much. However, Mayor McDonough’s explanation of why he does not want to videotape town meetings is just a excuse. Harrison has the distinction of being the only West Hudson town to not audio or videotape its meetings. Mayor McDonough simply put does not want anyone to see how Harrison’s government is run. One persistent resident is about to change the status quo.

Former Harrison 4^th Ward council candidate, Jim Wood, announced both in a Letter to the Editor in the Observer and on KOTW that he has established a website which will broadcast town meetings. The site, www.HarrisonMeetings.com, is Joe Wood’s response to the Mayor and Council’s refusal to broadcast town meetings. As Joe Wood put it in his letter to the Editor published in the Observer, "Since the town council feels it’s unnecessary to have a public record of what goes on at council meetings, I will do it for them, free of charge, and post it online for the residents to see." KOTW applauds Joe Wood’s efforts to make a public record of Harrison’s town meetings. Harrison needs more individuals like Joe Wood who take the initiative to do what they feel is best for their community.

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