Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Digital Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Isanti council approves trial of live streaming; Council Member Nick Peterson to test setup
Summary
Council members agreed to let Council Member Nick Peterson test a re‑stream/live‑stream setup for council meetings in August; staff confirmed backups and public‑record obligations and flagged staffing time constraints during the summer meeting schedule.
Council discussed technical options to live‑stream and archive meetings and gave consensus for Council Member Nick Peterson to run a trial re‑stream in August after the heavy summer meeting schedule.
Staff described the current system as locked to vendor changes without assistance from the vendor (Off The World) and said a vendor visit was estimated at $125 per hour plus $75 travel. The council discussed alternatives: a re‑stream service (a free tier exists for up to two simultaneous outputs), a modest in‑house computer to distribute streams for under $1,000, or paying a vendor for occasional configuration changes.
Peterson volunteered to test a re‑stream approach. He also said he could prototype an in‑house solution to avoid recurring monthly fees: “I found out a way I can build a computer that will do it for free,” he said. Staff confirmed the chamber’s existing recording hardware keeps local backups (USB and on‑site server) and reiterated that recordings created during public meetings become public records unless produced in a closed session.
Council members asked that any test be scheduled after the upcoming run of budget meetings; members expressed interest in a short in‑chamber test and then a report back so staff could evaluate implications for workload and archival responsibilities. The council reached consensus to allow a test during the August meeting schedule and to revert settings if the test fails.
