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Should council meetings be televised?

In the 1950s movie Sunset Boulevard, Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson, utters the now infamous words, ‘All right Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.

In the 1950s movie Sunset Boulevard, Norma Desmond, played by Gloria Swanson, utters the now infamous words, ‘All right Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.’

And perhaps it is time the Barrhead town and county, as well as Pembina Hills Public Schools trustees, prepare for the possibility that they too might be shown up close on the flat screen.

Maybe not in the same way as a movie close-up, but it might be time for our local governments to consider televising their regular proceedings.

Many larger jurisdictions regularly televise their local municipal council meetings. Admittedly, many of those municipalities have the luxury of having their own local television stations, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.

One of the Barrhead Leader’s editorial staff worked in a small community of just over 5,000 that not only televised their council meetings, but the majority of council’s committee meetings.

Although the community doesn’t have a TV station of its own, the meetings are televised on a community station based in a larger community.

The same could be done here. Many Barrhead residents subscribe to television packages that include a local Shaw Cable TV station. These types of stations often show town council meetings, even if they are not in their own community and plus, thanks to advancements in technology, a television station is no longer needed. One or two strategically placed web cameras and Internet access is all that is required. In fact, during the aquatic centre open house sessions, one town councillor used his cellphone to rebroadcast the proceedings.

Now don’t get us wrong, we are not suggesting the town, county or school board meetings are so untoward that we are suggesting that they are televised for the world to see.

Actually it is quite the opposite. By and large our reporters say that everyone is cordial and well behaved, even though they don’t always agree with each other.

The worst thing that any of our reporters have witnessed is the occasional raised voice or terse comment.

By broadcasting the meetings we hope that residents become more involved in the political process. Take in point the Woodlands County public hearing in Fort Assiniboine (Pg 7) on its Community Standards Bylaw. Just over a dozen people attended, which is actually quite respectable for a public hearing. About the same number attended the Town of Barrhead’s AGM.

Municipal councils, school boards and the like do important work and are the easiest way for the public to become involved in the political process. And most of the time they take place in front of an empty gallery.

Perhaps if these types of meetings were broadcast, people would feel more connected to their local representatives and take part in the political process.

It is certainly worth considering.

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