Amherst council moves ordinance to stream meetings to second reading; resident praises increased access

The Amherst City Council voted unanimously on March 24 to send to a second reading an ordinance that would require the city to stream council and committee meetings on the city website and to make meeting agendas and minutes available online.

The clerk read the ordinance summary for item 6b. A councilmember moved to send the ordinance to a second reading and a second was recorded; the roll call vote was 7–0.

During public comment earlier in the meeting, resident Brian Dietz, who gave his address as 765 Terralene, thanked council members for advancing the streaming and records effort. “I just wanna thank him personally,” Dietz said, referring to council members who had worked on the measure. Dietz, who works nights in a 9‑1‑1 center, said that access to recordings helps emergency planners and residents who cannot attend daytime meetings: “I think it’s a good thing to have… it gives the residents of the city another aspect to know what’s going on.”

Dietz told council that he had previously used recordings from other jurisdictions to locate information he later passed to emergency services and that some neighboring municipalities provide audio‑only records; he said having video and indexed agenda items would be especially useful for residents who work overnight shifts.

The transcript records no substantive debate about technical requirements, vendor selection, or costs. The ordinance text as read would require streaming of city meetings and posting of agendas and minutes; the transcript does not specify an implementation timetable or budget for the streaming service.

The council will consider the ordinance again at the scheduled second reading; the transcript does not list a date for the next reading.