Town of Chili

RESIDENT TAPING CHILI BOARD:

Residents for years have been asking the town to broadcast board meetings on cable television.

Now it is happening, but only because one resident was tired of waiting.

Chuck Rettig of Chili, who regularly attends meetings, purchased his own video equipment and has recently begun taping some Chili meetings to hand over to the cable access channel, Cable 12 West.

"I thought it was time to have open government in town," Rettig said.
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Penfield budgets more than $9,000 a year to broadcast its Town Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board meetings on cable. Brighton broadcasts its meeting on cable Channel 12 for $6,000 a year.
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Heath Miller, who also regularly attends meetings, doesn't understand why his town is dragging its feet while other municipalities find the funds.

"This would bring Chili into the 21st century," he said. "There is always talk about having open government in Chili and this would be the perfect opportunity. Two hundred dollars a month for meetings is something that not only benefits everyone in the town, but something the town can afford."

My (limited) experience with televised meetings is that they encourage bloviating and grandstanding, particularly during the public comment period. The residents quoted here use a distorted definition of open government. A government is not "un-open" if its meetings are not televised any more than because most of its citizens are too busy, indifferent, lazy- take your pick- to attend board meetings. Open government means simply that the town holds open its meetings to the public and provides documents and other records to residents upon request. The town is not obligated to spoon-feed information to residents who otherwise are not interested. Those who do truly take an interest in town decisionmaking will find a way to attend board meetings and to make their sentiments known. Folks in Chili who absolutely cannot attend meetings have access to up-to-date agenda and minutes on the Town's nice website, and can provide input via e-mail, telephone, or letter. It appears to me that there are several controversial topics in Chili, the town dissidents-- who usually are in the minority- are frustrated that the Town Board refuses to roll over for them, and so they want the Town to pay to provide them with a public platform to further harangue the board and recruit converts. IF ONLY PEOPLE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON, THEN THEY WOULD JOIN OUR CAUSE! Or maybe I'm too cynical.