The city council may switch to an alternating meeting schedule that could leave television viewers to chose between going to city hall each Thursday night or skipping every other meeting.
If City Manager Mark Palesh's proposal gets the go-ahead, the month's first and third meetings would be work sessions and the second and fourth would be regular meetings.
The council would conduct the work sessions in the third floor training room and regular business meetings in chambers.
Only the meetings in the chamber are broadcast on the public access channel.
Councilor David Dempsey doesn't have “strong feelings” about the council schedule, but wants reviewers to see their work session at home.
City Clerk Debra McCormick occasionally receives requests for video copies of the council meetings.
The council met under this schedule years ago, McCormick added. She suggested the informal set up is more conducive to conversation and discussion.
This isn't the first time the council switched over from taping each week to two times a month either. In February 2001, the council went to the same schedule it may go to again,
At that time, the meeting had only been telecast for a 1.5 years.
Dempsey hopes the work sessions, conducted in a smaller and informal training room rather than city hall chambers, will help the five-member council boost productivity. Councilors are facing major issues, such as the not-so distant budget season, the question of hiring a steward for Owasco Lake, other current water woes, the upcoming landfill expansion and the restructuring “that still hasn't been done in the past two years but there's been a lot of talk about it.”
Dempsey stressed the need to remain open to the public, including the residents who fire up their television instead of attending the meetings.
“I get approached daily and they almost always say 'I saw the meeting last night on TV' or 'I caught the council meeting last night on television' ... It's a way for them to stay in touch with their government,” Dempsey said.
However, the public is welcome to attend all meetings, work session or otherwise.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
The council would conduct the work sessions in the third floor training room and regular business meetings in chambers.
Only the meetings in the chamber are broadcast on the public access channel.
Councilor David Dempsey doesn't have “strong feelings” about the council schedule, but wants reviewers to see their work session at home.
City Clerk Debra McCormick occasionally receives requests for video copies of the council meetings.
The council met under this schedule years ago, McCormick added. She suggested the informal set up is more conducive to conversation and discussion.
This isn't the first time the council switched over from taping each week to two times a month either. In February 2001, the council went to the same schedule it may go to again,
At that time, the meeting had only been telecast for a 1.5 years.
Dempsey hopes the work sessions, conducted in a smaller and informal training room rather than city hall chambers, will help the five-member council boost productivity. Councilors are facing major issues, such as the not-so distant budget season, the question of hiring a steward for Owasco Lake, other current water woes, the upcoming landfill expansion and the restructuring “that still hasn't been done in the past two years but there's been a lot of talk about it.”
Dempsey stressed the need to remain open to the public, including the residents who fire up their television instead of attending the meetings.
“I get approached daily and they almost always say 'I saw the meeting last night on TV' or 'I caught the council meeting last night on television' ... It's a way for them to stay in touch with their government,” Dempsey said.
However, the public is welcome to attend all meetings, work session or otherwise.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
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Jerry Morgan Sr wrote on Mar 6, 2007 12:10 PM:
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