Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Open Government topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council discusses requiring livestreams, cautions on mandate for autonomous entities
Summary
The council reviewed a memo about requiring boards, committees and commissions to livestream meetings, discussed limits of authority over bodies created by statute, and asked staff to draft a letter asking the school committee for an update on its bid for streaming equipment.
At its Oct. 7 meeting New Shoreham’s Town Council discussed whether to require boards, committees and commissions to livestream meetings and what a mandate would entail.
A council member noted the town amended the charter to prioritize livestreaming and asked whether the council could require outside entities to stream. Staff and councilors clarified the limits of the council’s authority: bodies that are “creatures of statute,” such as the school committee and certain land trusts, operate independently and the town cannot compel them to adopt technology. The council repeatedly cited the school committee as an example; council members said the school committee has put equipment out to bid but progress is slow.
Staff described logistical and budget constraints. The town holds a single enterprise streaming license that permits one Zoom account to stream; other entities may use Zoom in the room but cannot stream without separate licensing. Staff said several entities (planning, zoning, conservation) stream when they can and that additional training and staff time would be required to scale streaming across nearly 20 boards. Technical glitches, retention of recorded meeting records and staff capacity were listed as implementation concerns.
Council members and staff discussed practical steps: prioritizing certain bodies (planning, housing board, public safety projects) and phasing in livestreaming rather than imposing an immediate mandate. The council asked staff to draft a letter to the school committee requesting an update on its equipment bid and encouraged residents who want school meetings streamed to contact the school committee directly.
No formal ordinance or requirement was adopted; council members expressed broad support for increased streaming while acknowledging staffing, licensing and statutory limits that would make an immediate mandate impractical. Staff and councilors recommended a phased approach and further budgeting analysis before any town mandate.
