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Council discusses using new "Owl" camera and streaming options to improve meeting video coverage
Summary
Members and residents discussed meeting-camera coverage and whether the borough’s new Owl camera can replace or supplement the existing setup to stream meetings beyond Facebook.
Council members and residents discussed the borough’s meeting-video setup, the recently purchased Owl camera (referred to colloquially in the meeting as "the owl") and options to stream recordings to platforms beyond Facebook so non-Facebook users can access meetings.
Residents said the existing single-camera angle used in council chambers limits viewers’ visibility and that other municipal meetings (such as the planning board) use a second camera that better captures speakers when they approach the dais. One resident said the current camera setup "you can't even see Tony" when he is at the dais.
A council member noted the borough recently purchased an Owl-brand camera that can pan the room and automatically follow speakers; the camera was described as having potential captioning/translation capabilities. One speaker suggested the borough consider the Owl camera as a cost-saving measure to reduce or replace other recording hardware and to expand streaming beyond Facebook to platforms such as YouTube so people who are not on Facebook can view live meetings.
Legal and clerk staff weighed in on posting requirements and minutes: a speaker said the borough must keep minutes of meetings regardless of the streaming platform; another noted that platform choice (YouTube vs. Facebook) does not change the borough’s obligation to keep records. Council members asked staff to investigate whether the Owl camera could meet visibility, captioning and archiving requirements and whether streaming should be made available on multiple platforms.
Ending: Staff were asked to evaluate the Owl camera’s capabilities and report back on whether it could supplement or replace existing cameras and how the borough could expand streaming to reach residents who do not use Facebook.
