The Twin Lakes Village Board agreed to wait on installing a camera in the new Village Hall board room that would facilitate live streaming as part of the new building’s audio-visual package.
The board discussed the matter at Monday’s committee of the whole meeting.
Only Trustee Jeremy Knoll, who is not running for re-election this April, expressed support for the option.
Adding the camera would increase the cost of the AV package by about $2,100, according to the one current quote the village has received for the work. The village is expecting to receive another quote before having to make a final decision.
The most obvious use of the camera would be to livestream village meetings. Board members were not convinced that was a good idea.
“I would rather have people come to the meeting,” Trustee Kevin Fitzgerald said. “I would much rather have people come to the meeting than watch us.”
Village President Howard Skinner said he recently came across a broadcast of another municipality’s board meeting and he didn’t think it would have wide appeal.
“I don’t know who sits around and watches this,” Skinner said.
Trustee Sharon Bower said the board and staff will have enough to get used to without adding livestreaming. (Note: The attribution for this quote was changed from an earlier version)
Village administrator Laura Roesslein pointed out a streaming camera also could facilitate having some consulting postions, such as village engineers and attorneys attend meetings via teleconferencing, perhaps cutting some transportation cost, but that did not change the board consensus to wait.
Wiring in the room will be installed to facilitate putting the camera in at a later date.
