Recently, at a board meeting, the Mayor of Valley Stream asked me to stop recording the board meeting. The mayor appears to be unaware of the Open Meetings Law.

The Committee on Open Government’s lawyer and various watchdog groups came to the same conclusion. The Mayor violated the law.

What was his excuse? The signs posted in the village prohibit recording. This pathetic excuse stops citizens from exercising their right to record. His pathetic blunder was backed up by our taxpayer-funded village attorney.

The State needs to revisit the Open Meetings Law and provide an enforcement mechanism for Villages with Mayors like Valley Stream who seek to silence and intimidate residents.

The state also needs to require mandated training for local municipalities. In addition, the state should require that a local government’s legal counsel undergo strict oversight training.

If changes aren’t made, Valley Stream will be the example, not the exception.

Amil Virani
Valley Stream