Council weighs livestreaming meetings and website accessibility options

Council members and staff discussed options to livestream council meetings and make meeting content more accessible to residents who cannot attend.

Staff said there is an existing camera at a shelter near the meeting room that had not been used; they tested it and reported the device works. The group discussed using YouTube for livestreams and retaining recordings for on-demand viewing, and they generally rejected Facebook Live with real-time comments enabled because of moderation burdens. Staff proposed allowing residents to submit questions before meetings through an app or form so the council could pose those questions during the meeting when the original commenter cannot attend.

Website accessibility: staff noted a Department of Justice requirement that smaller jurisdictions make websites accessible to people with disabilities, with compliance deadlines phased by year. Vendors have offered ongoing monitoring and remediation services; staff reported quotes ranging from about $250 per year (basic monitoring) to $800–900 per year for a bundled hosting/accessibility service. The council directed staff to include an accessibility line item in the proposed budget and to bring back implementation options and costs.

Why it matters: livestreaming and improved website accessibility expand public access to local government proceedings, but both require staff time, ongoing vendor costs and decisions about how to moderate and archive content.

Next steps: staff will map technical options, estimate ongoing workload implications for city staff, provide vendor quotes for accessibility tools and hosting options, and return with recommendations including estimated costs and a proposed workflow for submitting citizen questions in advance of meetings.