Starting with last night’s council meeting City of Medicine Hat will have on its website video and audio of council meetings.
Previously there was no record of discussion or comments made by elected representatives in public meetings. As people who follow this blog know the city has always made available minutes, but that is only a record of what was done, not a record of what was said. As this blog reported in 2007, the only copy of our council meeting was owned exclusively by Shaw and they refused to make the meetings available to the public if the meeting ever proved to be controversial. Strangely the people of Medicine Hat owned no record of their elected officials discussion and public dialogue.
Now council members are on the record when they speak, and I think that will finally add a level ongoing accountability to the voters and people of Medicine Hat.
Congratulations on the new council members for FINALLY making this happen, it was an election issue (mainly on this blog, but it was discussed) and it took too long to happen, but it’s great to have a chance for Hatters to keep informed in modern times with the happenings of their elected officials. This is modern access to our democracy and the current mayor and alderman made this happen.
http://www.medicinehat.ca/City%20Government/City%20Council/Video/index.asp
From Sept 2007
2) Open government - It was brought to my attention by a thoughtful e-mailer some months ago, and I never have blogged on it (Spider might have more info on this as well) – the comments and actions of council members DURING COUNCIL meetings are not recorded by our city hall and are not necessarily available to all our citizens. A council member can literally stand up in council and call for the implementation of slavery – and there would be no public record of those comments. Currently a private company (Shaw) legally owns the rights to the recoding of the council meetings – and on controversial issues like the CAPCS bikini bylaw – they actually chose NOT to release those tapes to the public. Further local library’s requesting a copy of the tape were also denied by Shaw. Our council could easily and affordably make their actions, comments, statements a matter of public record. Currently only their motions and votes are recorded in the official minutes. How inexpensive would it be for City hall to record and archive all the meetings (video and audio) and all that was said – I even suggest that council meetings be available for viewing through a webcast, for citizens to review at their leisure and watch the actions of the people elected to represent them. Transcripts are an unnecessary expense – webcams, microphones and Youtube are pretty low cost. The comments made in council, in my view, ought to be a matter of public record –
Finally! I am watching last nights meeting right now.
A lot of grandstanding going on huh.
Its nice to be able to watch they say and see who they are playing too.
This really is a breath of fresh air …now get madhatters back to posting blogs and keeping us informed as well!
just kidding, glad you had your summer break.
You are very correct Katrina it is grandstanding. Many of the issues are discoused during the closed meetings prior to open meeting and many of the alderman know the outcome/discusion by that time but play the audience come the open sexion. The reason…to make like they are doing “their job” with vigalence to the public. Friesen is the biggest grandstander yet does the least (among others) The election is near and people like Friesen and Dumanowski have mayoral asperations so they are strutting their fluff.
My hope is that:
Friesen is gone
Dumanowski is gone
Kelly is gone
White is gone
Hamill is gone
Thompson is gone
And feel the mayor will not run again
ohhh the spelling …sorry and not a freudian slip
They all kept their views pretty close to themselves until this week when they put it on the record. I don’t mind that, in fact if they are going to have an “open house” to hear from the community they ought to keep an open mind yet.
I thought Friesen’s speech right off the bat was “grandstanding” I am trying to put my finger on what I find distasteful about the speech, since overall I agreed with her position on this issue. I guess I found it exaggerated and it didn’t hit me as sincere.
I agree, when you compare these two models.
2006 - Vote to create a committee to write a bylaw, comittee meets in closed to write a threatening letter to business, vote in husbands and friends to be on the committee - exclude stake holders, create false data, storm city hall, demand a bylaw etc.
2009 - Vote to hear from the public in several open houses, form an opinion based on feedback from the people …discuss and vote in public.
No matter what your opinion of the E&Y recommendations and what is best for Medicine Hat, city hall finally handled this democratically in my view. I have been a bull dog with city hall on this site when I felt they acted in a undemocratic fashion, but I do feel the need to extend credit where it is due here. City Hall did invite public and open discussion…and based on the sessions I attended and seeing the result last night …it seems they did listen. For better or worse they handled this as transparently as I would expect / demand from our leaders.
I am going to blog about the E&Y report and the result…probably by this weekend, but I was happy to see this finally come to pass. I really like the idea of being able to replay comments made and quote them on issues. No more hiding. When an alderman or mayor says something derogatory “people who oppose the bikini magazine bylaw are anti child” that sort of thing, we can have it on the record.
/you know who you are…
Jim wants another house cleaning at city hall. Fair enough, I might keep a couple of different ones, but I respect your opinion sir.
My wild speculation:
I think 2010 could see some long term alderman butt heads in a mayors race …it reminds me of Anderson, Hamil being knocked out years ago in a bid for the mayor’s chair. I think Norm will run again, but I have no inside information leaking that to me or anything …just my hunch.