[Mpls] Meetings on televison

[Rybak, R.T.]

There has been a great deal of discussion about what happened, or did =
not happen at Park Board meetings....but if you weren't there, or if a =
reporter wasn't there, it's pretty hard to know.

That's why I believe these meetings should be on cable.  Those with =
cable can see them; those without it can have a tape.  Reporters who =
weren't there could review the tape.=20

This could happen almost immediately for both the park and library =
boards.  The city council chamber has state of the arts cable facilities =
that have served the community very well. Park Board and Library Board =
meetings come be held in the chamber, and use the existing equipment. I =
would support making this happen quickly, help adjust schedules and =
charge only if there are additional costs.

I've raised this before and the usual push back is that this is a "city" =
building that should not be a place for an independent board to meet. I =
understand this on some level but in the inperfect, fiscally restrained =
world we are in, isn't it better to use an existing facility than waste =
a lof of money on another facility that could instead go into park =
programs...Or worse, not televise at all?

 If it's not the right image to be in the council chamber, explore ways =
to make it clear this is a park meeting...It could be as simple as =
hanging a sign in back of the members during the meeting saying =
"Minneapolis Park Board."  =20

These are small matters that can be resolved when compared to the very =
serious issues that take place when meetings are not televised so more =
people can see them.=20

In any case, this simple move of having the meetings in a place where =
they can be on cable and tape could helped clarify many of the issues =
that grew out of the "he said/she said" debate about the last meeting.

I'm ready to help make this happen if people are interested.=20

R.T.Rybak=20