Not all committees of county council support recording of meetings

Essex County Civic Centre.

There is a little reluctancy by some agencies, boards and/or committees to be part of a directive by Essex County council to record their meetings.

CAO Sandra Zwiers brought forth a report at last Wednesday night’s meeting indicating what organizations were receptive to livestreaming or posting online.

“For various reasons some of them are certainly able to and are actively doing that now or are planning to do that but there are some valid reasons why some of them are unable at this time,” said Zwiers.

Boards or committees with at least one county council representative were the ones which were contacted as part of a resolution that began back in February.

“I didn’t want to hold this report any longer, so I brought forth the information I had to date,” said Zwiers.

That information included that the Essex County Library Board and the Essex County Accessibility Committee are receptive to having their meetings recorded.

“It makes sense. In order to bring information to the public, it has to be accessible,” said Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy.

Bondy noted that since many of the meetings are held during the day, the public may not be able to attend in person and therefore, chose to watch via video.

“Not everyone can get to the meetings when they are held.”

Invest Windsor-Essex said it would not record its meetings indicating that most of it is held in-camera and that was the reason given by the 911 Technical Advisory Committee. Tourism Windsor-Essex-Pelee Island also did not support due to governance, board composition and strategic consideration.

“If we really want to be transparent and accessible, those committees will make it available to the public,” added Bondy.

Still undecided on having meetings recorded are the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority, Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (Board of Health), and the Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy.

Not all committees of county council support recording of meetings

By Fred Groves