If you want a democracy to work, the people have to know what their leaders are up to. And, conspiracy theories aside, technology has greatly improved public access and transparency -- from C-SPAN to YouTube.
More than 250 cities/counties nationwide have chosen to make their meetings available online. The services can be expensive, but not prohibitively so. Recent costs have averaged $30,000 for the initial setup and $15,000 per year to create and maintain searchable archives of the meetings. The public boards often contract with outside vendors who store the video and integrate it with agendas, minutes and other public documents.
In addition to Internet video streaming, many boards broadcast their meetings live on area cable television systems.
All it would take for, say, Woodford County to broadcast its Board and Committee meetings live is a flick of the switch and some pocket change. Board members and the County Administrator have talked a good game for months now about a new website which may or may not already include some of these costs. Hopefully, regional peer pressure will make it act sooner rather than later to enhance transparency in this fashion.
Of course, all of the video in the world, streaming or otherwise, won't make a difference if local residents don't actually tune in or log on to see their local governments in action, and, after watching, participate in the political process. But it does give voters one less excuse for not being informed and involved.
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