Bravo to Cameraman Bruce and the blog for pushing for more recordings of public meetings and councilor Starr for pushing the issue;
A volunteer board that oversees Sioux Falls fire and ambulance services would be required to record and achieve its public meetings under a proposal headed to the City Council.
Of course those most worried about getting their tits in a wringer use tired old arguments against it;
The ambulance board’s chair, Gary Myers, opposed the idea, saying people would be discouraged from attending or speaking up if the meetings are recorded. He said the need for transparency is important but said he fears snippets from recordings could be misconstrued and used against them.
“My concern is how clips, whether its audio or video, could be used out of context,†Myers said.
If it is a continual live recording, how is that misconstrued? Sure, the media or even DaCola can take snippets, but if a continual recording exists, that is the public’s responsibility to listen or view the entire proceeding.
Amazing that Edison invented recording over 100 years ago and people still fear it. What they fear the most is transparency and not being able to make decisions that harm the public behind closed doors. That’s called tyranny Mr. Myers, look it up.
It’s dissapointing that it’s taking this long for any member of the new council to start pushing for any form of new transparency. I seem to remember standing next to all of them on more than one occasion where they promised that would be one of their top priorities.
Transparency and transgender get attention for shock value before elections. Thereafter, council focus is one day liquor permits or smoking somewhere outside. Important things can become subject matter if you wear a silly hat to Public Comment.