Arlington Heights Board Considers Electronic Switch

In an effort to increase clarity and communication between village officials and residents, the Arlington Heights Village Board is considering a proposal to post the board’s full packets online and broadcast meetings on the web.

The electronic switch would make village government more transparent and cut down its paper use to make the village more “green.” –But village officials debated if the switch is worth the money.

Robin Ward, assistant village attorney, presented the proposal to make the technological jump to post the board’s full packet to the web and live stream meetings online during Monday's meeting.

Right now, only the board's agenda is posted to the village’s website. Printed off and available at meetings, the full packet, which details and provides background information on each item listed on the board’s agenda is not available online.

The new system would post the full, detailed packets online, available for public view on the village's website. Ward said, village board members and staff would also be able to login and electronically make notes on the packet. With a laptop or tablet, trustees could review the agenda, full packet and their notes during board meetings. 

However, that would mean each board member would need access to a laptop or tablet. Several trustees said they would not want to use village money to purchase the tablets or laptops that would be needed.

Compared to the estimated $18,000 spent in time, paper and printing to prepare the packets and documents for board meetings, the online system would cost $12,000, saving the village $6,000 a year, officials said.

Broadcasting the board meetings would come at a higher cost to Arlington Heights. To live stream every village board meeting would cost about $60,000 a year, up from the current cost of $50,000.

The way it is now, it costs $2,500, per broadcast, to televise meetings on the village’s cable channel. Recordings are not posted online and not all meetings are recorded.

The new system would live stream board meetings on the village’s website. Videos would also be linked to items on the agenda so people could go directly to the topic they want to see discussed.

Village officials expressed interest in broadcasting meetings at the Nov. 13 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting, right after the board approved plans for a tax levy increase.

Following a lengthy discussion, Trustee Joseph Farwell said he wished Committee of the Whole conversations were recorded. Broadcasting all of the board meetings, Farwell said, could help residents understand how the board makes their decisions and let them see

While broadcasting meetings comes at a higher cost to the village, Farwell said Monday, it could be worth the money to make the village more transparent and more accessible for the community. 

Plans to make the electronic switch were not approved Monday night. The Arlington Heights Village Board wil revisit the proposal at later date.