BUCKFIELD – A selectman presented concerns about the number of public meetings being recorded for viewing on the local access cable channel to public television committee representative Charles Berg at Tuesday evening’s selectmen meeting.

“When this plan was brought up before the townspeople you said all public meetings would be covered,” Selectman Oscar Gammon said. “You people are concentrating on selectmen meetings. I call that discrimination.”

Town Manager Cindy Dunn recently compiled a log of public meetings taped by the public television committee dating back to 2002. According to the log, the committee has primarily taped selectmen meetings, an occasional SAD 39 board meeting, a few Planning Board meetings and all five SAD 39 budget meetings.

According to Gammon, some residents have complained about the skewed coverage in favor of selectmen meetings.

“We don’t mean to discriminate or put the spotlight on anyone unfairly,” said Berg.

“Well over 100 hours of tape have aired on cable. We do as much as physical energy allows.”

Some residents may be missing meetings on the local access station because meetings are primarily aired on weekday afternoons when the town office is open and tapes can be played, said Berg. There is also no set schedule when meetings will be aired, for residents to refer to.

Berg admitted that the lack of a set schedule, and the amount of time involved in transferring the meetings from 8 mm to VHS tape have been stumbling blocks in the process. However, he assured the board that the new purchase of a Leightronix Pro-8, which can be programmed to play tapes on its own, will allow the committee to create a set schedule for airing meetings at a more convenient time.

Berg told selectmen that the six-member committee, with limited resources, decided to prioritize public meetings and cover the most important committees first.

“The MMA (Maine Municipal Association) recommends that boards with quasi-judicial powers, like the Board of Selectmen, have their meetings taped,” said Berg.

“I don’t think anyone in this room would disagree that the Board of Selectmen meetings are the most important besides town meeting,” added Dunn.

Berg informed the board that the budget approved for the committee at town meeting two years ago is hardly enough to operate the committee and record meetings. Besides the camera bought with funds from the committee’s budget, they are utilizing one owned by Berg.

Berg has also donated use of his computer and has purchased software and supplies to process the recorded material. The process simply needs to be perfected with practice, said Berg.

In other business, selectmen will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22 to open and possibly take action on bids for the highway garage building project. Another special meeting will be held on Oct. 7 to open bids for the installation of the building’s heating system. Both are public meetings.

According to Dunn, the water line has been installed, as well as the installation of a hydrant.

Copy the Story Link