Guest Editorial: Jack Kareckas on Access to Town Government Meetings

The other day Jack Kareckas posted the following comment on a previous story.  I asked him for permission to post his comment as a guest editorial.  I join Jack in his call for great public access to our Town Government meetings.  It is dismaying that so few citizens are at meetings where decision are made that affect all of us.  Some say the low turnout is because people don’t care.  My experience is that citizens of South Berwick care deeply about what happens in Town Government but they are too busy working, raising children, trying to make ends meet to get out to meetings.  We need to be able to have access to meetings via television or podcast or some other available technology.  –Molly

Here’s Jack’s comment:

Public Access to our Elected and Appointed Official’s Meetings

More than ever with the further complications and demands on our time and the rules, regulations and policies surrounding issues which affect our individual lives, Town and Region, we need greater access and information about public proceedings.

The need for filming and broadcast of our local town meetings is greater than ever. Broadcast of meetings seems to be a non-starter from official Town sources or via our cable TV systems.

Does anyone have the knowledge or technical expertise about what is involved with pod-casts or other digital recording of meetings for distribution over the Internet?

It is time to continue the dialogue…

Jack Kareckas