Council within their approved Strategic Plan under Objective #1 Ensuring open, clear and timely communications has identified 1.2 Broadcast all open meetings of Council. Council supported this outcome, in principle. Under General Government, I am currently working with Ms. Brace-Town Clerk, Ian Davey-Director of Finance and Stephen Peacock -CAO as to how this service (broadcasting) can be provided in the most efficient manner. This recommendation has been noted for the 2016 Budget deliberations as a high priority for Council. The Governance Ad Hoc Committee is still refining the Governance Review report and our goal is to have the recommendations and amendments prepared for the Dec. 21st Council agenda. In terms of my views, this will be expressed during Council sessions with all Council and the public being present. I believe the above statement clearly reflects what has taken place to date from a Council perspective. Please accept this as my response to your question.
What I support is the broadcasting of all open Council meetings. This is clearly stated in 1.2 of our Strategic Plan, which I fully support. Not being a high tech person I can’t commit to the method but will leave it to the experts to determine the most efficient method, and I will support it in the 2016 budget. As for the recommendation to change a Council meeting to 4pm it was not Committee of the Whole but Regular Council that was proposed to move. From a personal perspective I will not support any time change that puts any member of Council at a disadvantage. I did not support it in the last term of Council for that same reason and will not support it in this term of Council.
To answer your question directly, I do support openness and transparency. I would like to see both Committee of the Whole and Council meetings broadcast to the public. As to which method is best, that is yet to be determined. I think the Deputy Mayor said it all in his response and at this time I have nothing further to add.
Council has stated that they are committed to broadcasting all council meetings moving forward and I am confident that this will remain in the revisions coming forth from the governance review. I have no problem with council meetings being recorded and made available on you tube.
I agree with your proposal 100 per cent if it saves money. I understand the cogeco cost now for one meeting is free or minimal
I do support video-recording of Council meetings with uploading to Youtube and the Town of Cobourg’s web site allowing full accessibility of the public to Council meetings, not just citizens who subscribe to Cogeco TV. It is also cheaper and simpler to produce in a timely manner.
My interpretation of the word “broadcasting” in the governance report includes the above as I see it as a generic term. For example, I looked up the definition in Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcasting
“Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and/or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium.”
After checking out somethings and looking into others I agree you tube can work for now and get out meeting out to everyone.