GUEST COLUMN
City Works To Make Government More Accessible Via Website
From The Mayor
April 10, 2018 at 11:28 a.m.
By Joe Thallemer-
More than a year ago, with a new city hall fiber network in the planning stages, we explored several options to make our public meetings more accessible.
Working initially with the cable company, we discussed broadcasting our meetings on a public access television channel. While this is a public service that many large cities utilize, for Warsaw, it would have been burdensome and expensive. Live streaming online became a more practical and cost-effective solution that appeals to a larger audience.
This month, after several months of setup and test-runs, the City of Warsaw has officially begun live streaming our common council (first and third Monday of the month at 7 p.m.) and Board of Public Works and Safety (first and third Fridays of the month at 10:30 a.m.) meetings on our city website at warsaw.in.gov/watchcitymeetings. It is our intention to expand coverage to include as many of our boards as possible in the future.
To view our meetings, simply access warsaw.in.gov/watchcitymeetings, or visit the city’s homepage and click on the “Watch City Meetings” button below the search bar. You may also subscribe to our “City of Warsaw, IN” YouTube channel for the same live streams, on-demand videos, and closed captions available immediately following the meeting. Agendas will continue to be posted to the website prior to each meeting for your review before and during the meeting. Agendas and minutes from previous meetings are also available on the website.
Viewing the meetings on the city’s official website will provide several advantages. First, our site will provide a reliable and regular resource for viewing all scheduled public meetings. A current schedule of meeting dates and times is available on the website calendar. It should be noted that regularly scheduled meeting dates and/or times are subject to change due to holidays or unforeseen circumstances. Special meetings may also be scheduled as the result of time-sensitive necessity. We are required to notify the media at least 48 hours in advance to advertise any of those changes, and the website will be updated as well.
It is our intent to provide reliable, professional-quality live streaming coverage that our citizens can rely on. We have invested significantly in our camera equipment to provide the highest quality HD images for your viewing. We have also upgraded our audio equipment to provide professional-quality sound for the live stream and our in-house council chambers public address system, while also improving access for those with hearing impairments who attend our meetings.
Another advantage to our site is that all meetings will be archived by our vendor and available on-demand for one year. While some meetings can be as short as 10 minutes and others may go on for several hours, you will be able to watch meetings of choice as they fit your schedule.
Viewing our meetings in the comfort and privacy of your home, or on the go during your busy schedules, will give every citizen with access to a computer or mobile device, a front row seat as our boards discuss and debate issues that affect our community. While we are fortunate to have our meetings covered by responsible local media, there is no substitute for first-hand participation.
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More than a year ago, with a new city hall fiber network in the planning stages, we explored several options to make our public meetings more accessible.
Working initially with the cable company, we discussed broadcasting our meetings on a public access television channel. While this is a public service that many large cities utilize, for Warsaw, it would have been burdensome and expensive. Live streaming online became a more practical and cost-effective solution that appeals to a larger audience.
This month, after several months of setup and test-runs, the City of Warsaw has officially begun live streaming our common council (first and third Monday of the month at 7 p.m.) and Board of Public Works and Safety (first and third Fridays of the month at 10:30 a.m.) meetings on our city website at warsaw.in.gov/watchcitymeetings. It is our intention to expand coverage to include as many of our boards as possible in the future.
To view our meetings, simply access warsaw.in.gov/watchcitymeetings, or visit the city’s homepage and click on the “Watch City Meetings” button below the search bar. You may also subscribe to our “City of Warsaw, IN” YouTube channel for the same live streams, on-demand videos, and closed captions available immediately following the meeting. Agendas will continue to be posted to the website prior to each meeting for your review before and during the meeting. Agendas and minutes from previous meetings are also available on the website.
Viewing the meetings on the city’s official website will provide several advantages. First, our site will provide a reliable and regular resource for viewing all scheduled public meetings. A current schedule of meeting dates and times is available on the website calendar. It should be noted that regularly scheduled meeting dates and/or times are subject to change due to holidays or unforeseen circumstances. Special meetings may also be scheduled as the result of time-sensitive necessity. We are required to notify the media at least 48 hours in advance to advertise any of those changes, and the website will be updated as well.
It is our intent to provide reliable, professional-quality live streaming coverage that our citizens can rely on. We have invested significantly in our camera equipment to provide the highest quality HD images for your viewing. We have also upgraded our audio equipment to provide professional-quality sound for the live stream and our in-house council chambers public address system, while also improving access for those with hearing impairments who attend our meetings.
Another advantage to our site is that all meetings will be archived by our vendor and available on-demand for one year. While some meetings can be as short as 10 minutes and others may go on for several hours, you will be able to watch meetings of choice as they fit your schedule.
Viewing our meetings in the comfort and privacy of your home, or on the go during your busy schedules, will give every citizen with access to a computer or mobile device, a front row seat as our boards discuss and debate issues that affect our community. While we are fortunate to have our meetings covered by responsible local media, there is no substitute for first-hand participation.
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