Council members avoid public scrutiny

If Newark City Council were to televise its meetings, it would open itself to public awareness and feedback. Members have proclaimed they would see to it that meetings would be televised, but then send out signals about the impossibility therein because of high cost and opposing political forces. The fact is clear: Newark City Council is not interested.

On 12/21/05 I said that if Newark City Council really wants to do business correctly, it needs to do its best to provide a free flow of information. I summarized that essay (which dwelt, in part, on the need for publishing the full text of upcoming legislation) by saying: "Council should court public input and should contribute to public knowledge, but I really believe neither is among its priorities."

They talk about the need for input, but, as I said here 2/22/06, citizens are not so inclined because they are intimidated by the political process and their own ignorance of how things work and the people involved.

I opined then that at least some of this intimidation might be erased if Council could again televise its meetings as was done successfully and interestingly several months ago. I went on to tell how Jim Young, publisher of the former Our Town weekly newspaper managed to get himself and his business promoted through the use of one of Adelphia's public access channels. Jim said the city could do likewise with little or no expense.

Then on 4/19/07 I reminded the Democrats on City Council that on 11/7/05 they had pledged in a newspaper ad to:

1 - Return city council meetings to televised broadcast

2 - Provide timely information on council deliberations at the city web site

They have done neither.

It is not because they can't. It's because they won't.

The franchise agreement with Time-Warner specifies that three public-access channels are available. One is exclusively for Newark City Schools; one is for the combined used of Heath, Granville, and Newark; the third is not reserved for anything but public access.

So don't tell me that it's going to cost the city a single cent beyond the purchase of a small video camera and the services of someone to turn the camera on during council meetings, turn the camera off after the meetings end, and take the tape to Time-Warner.

I spent some time trying to track down the precise gateway that council would need in order to hook up a system with the Time-Warner techies. I got as far as a man by the name of Steve Cuckler who was supposed to find out and let me know, but who didn't. But if a council member or the president of Council were to call this guy at 740-341-9149 he'd be reluctant to shuck them off as he does members of the public - like me - who pay his company $107 every month.

If you want to know exactly why Newark City Council meetings aren't being televised, ask Council members if any of them have followed up on the technical aspects. After they have answered you, then ask why they are avoiding public scrutiny.