Council Checks Out Video Options

The City of Vernon will see if a third party wants to provide video recordings of its meetings.

Councillor Brian Quiring says that would be simpler than the City providing it.

“When the city provides it, there’s a lot of complexities around the Freedom of Information legislation, so we would just assume to see someone else take that on and manage that,” Quiring tells Kiss FM.

Shaw currently provides video of the meetings, but only to its subscribers, and only on a tape-delayed basis, twice a week.

City staff say a company like Castanet may want to provide the service, similar to what they do with Kelowna council meetings.

Councillor Scott Anderson originally raised the suggestion for more video access to the meetings, although he admits the demand for it would not be huge.

He led a motion to get staff to investigate the best and most cost effective way to record the meetings, and later agreed to the amendment from Quiring to see if third parties could provide it.

“My end goal is to have it posted n the city’s website for some time, so that people can look at city council meetings, with an index option, so they can index it and don’t have to watch for three hours to find something,” says Anderson.

Anderson says people can look at the meeting minutes, but that’s not as informative.

“It removes all the context and debate. That’s important when people are making up their mind on a issue.”

Councillor Juliette Cunningham says if someone else is going to provide the recording, it has to be god sound quality.

“It’s frustrating to have the service and then not be able to hear it,” says Cunningham.

City administration was not recommending further investigation of the idea.

Photo: Brian Quiring, Vernon councillor.