Are Zoning, Planning and Conservation Boards Ready for Prime Time, or Not?

MIDDLETOWN, RI—The public can watch Town Council meetings on cable television or on the town's webpage.

Councilor Antone Viveiros believes the zoning, conservation and planning board meetings also should be taped and available on the Town's website. At last week's Town Council meeting, he questioned estimates that put the production costs slightly under $10,000 and suggested Middletown could provide the service and save money by hiring a retired town employee to run the camera.

Robert Sylvia, the council president, agreed the videotape would help with transparency, but before taking any action, he wanted to find out how the board members feel about television. The members are all volunteers, after all, he said.

Shawn Brown, town administrator, observed a television camera would change the meeting dynamic. With a television camera running, he predicted, the situation potentially "becomes more unruly," and it could be difficult to control the meeting.

"I'm waffling now," Sylvia said. "For a small amount of money," he said, "it would be worth it" to gain transparency. But he preferred to do a survey first and find out if the volunteer board members are on board with televised proceedings.

Councilwoman Barbara VonVillas agreed the volunteer board members should be consulted.

Also, Viveiros said, the Town should survey the public and find out if they want the meetings on TV. After all, if they were following an agenda item, which a board tabled and postponed until an upcoming meeting, how would they find out?

Councilwoman Theresa Santos agreed the online record would be a convenience but thought the town could save money by asking a student to do the taping.

Brown said the student might not have the professional skills, and people will complain if they can't hear the tape or see the speaker's face. He also cautioned against the part-time retiree.

"I'll do anything the council wants," he said but added he preferred to rely on full-time professional staff.

"Let's do it right," Sylvia said. He called the tape an "investment in full transparency," but added he did want to hear first from the board members.

Councilor Paul Rodrigues thought there were pros and cons to taping the meetings. But if the council decided to go forward, he wanted the cost to be part of the budget.

Councilor Robert Kempenaar II predicted the volunteer board members would quash the plan to televise their meetings.

"It's just going to cause chaos," he said.

The councilors agreed to survey the board members first and then decide whether to proceed.