Algoma council votes 5-2 to disband cable department, move meetings to YouTube

The Algoma City Council voted 5-2 to disband the city's cable department and discontinue broadcasting on the public-access cable channel, moving meeting broadcasts to YouTube.

City staff described technical problems with the cable-camera connection and told the council the resolution would end the cable channel and route all meeting video to the city's YouTube stream. "This resolution would end the cable channel, and then everything would only be on YouTube," a staff member said during the discussion.

Council members raised questions about notifying organizations that rely on cable access, including churches and the school, and staff said they would plan communications for affected groups if the measure passed. The motion (moved by Lee Dashlet, seconded by Casey Boer) passed on roll-call vote, 5-2. The transcript records the vote tally but does not include a detailed implementation timeline beyond staff's statement that the change would be effective starting Jan. 1.

Supporters said the shift responds to changing viewing habits and technical constraints; opponents raised concerns about access for viewers who rely on cable. Staff suggested a communications plan and a countdown to notify residents and partner organizations of the transition.

Next steps recorded in the excerpt: staff will coordinate notifications and address technical issues before the January transition.