89-25 Resolution to Support Publishing Legal Notices on Official Government Website.pdf

89-25 MARCH 11, 2025 RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT PUBLISHING LEGAL NOTICES ON OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITES WHEREAS, the sunset provision of March 1, 2025 imposed under P.L. 2024 c.106 is fast approaching in what was a temporary solution that allowed local governments to comply with the public notice requirements under the law in time for annual reorganization meetings in January; and, WHEREAS, local government officials serve as the stewards of property taxpayer dollars and should no longer be required to subsidize the newspaper industry with revenues collected from publishing legal notices in the press; and, WHEREAS, long before NJ Advanced Media’s announcement that it was terminating daily print publications in January of 2025, local government officials found it increasingly difficult to comply with the public notice requirements under the law as the media has become almost exclusively digitized and struggled to retain staff, resources, and publications; and, WHEREAS, legislation that will authorize local governments to publish legal notices on a local government’s official website will streamline an antiquated and overly burdensome process and save valuable time, resources, and property taxpayer dollars; and, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Township of West Orange does in fact, hereby urge state leaders to pass legislation that will authorize municipalities, counties, school districts, and all local governments to publish legal notices in a clear, transparent, and timely manner on a local government’s official website. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be sent to Governor Phil Murphy, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Speaker of the General Assembly Craig Coughlin, Senator John F. McKeon, Assemblymembers Rosaura Bagolie, Alixon Collazos-Gill, and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Karen J. Carnevale, R.M.C. Joe Krakoviak Municipal Clerk Council President Adopted: March 11, 2025