The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
The City Council has refused to televise its informal meetings, but that didn't stop an Internet site from setting up a camera inside City Hall.
AltDaily.com, which covers everything from politics to concerts, took video of Tuesday's 2-1/2-hour informal work session and began streaming it on its website Wednesday as a public service, editor Jesse Scaccia said.
"We consider it a win/win," he wrote in an e-mail. "The city gets to save the costs of producing the videos themselves."
The council has declined to televise the meetings, saying it could lead to grandstanding and protracted debates.
The formal meetings are televised.
Three council members elected last year - Andy Protogyrou, Tommy Smigiel and Angelia Williams - want the informal meetings on TV.
Although no ordinances are adopted, the informal meetings are where most of the council's real work gets done. Every other council in South Hampton Roads televises informal meetings.
Mayor Paul Fraim said the issue will be discussed this spring as part of debates on the budget.
"This just shows how easy it is to do," Protogyrou said.
"All you need is one small camera, and just like that, people can see us at work."
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Hat tip to Jesse Scaccia and ALT Daily - nice job!
Jesse Scaccia is all about making our neck-o-da-woods a better place. AltDaily encourages everyone to become involved improving our collective community. His latest effort to share what Norfolk's elected representatives are doing with the community at large deserves great praise and many thanks from the public at large - you can't make informed decisions if you don't have access to the truth.
Thank you Mr. Scaccia - for bringing much needed sunshine into the dark shadows of Mayor Fraim's largely unseen activities.
I tip my hat to Jesse for a job well done.
Good!
City Council is getting callef out for holding closed door meetings and now they'll be on camera for the world to see. I'm no fortune teller, but something tells me Lame Fraim is going to bow out of City Council soon. He won't be able to have his way and shady dealings will have to be buried deeper.
Actually, NPS already
Actually, NPS already operates a television station 47 that would simply need to walk across the street.
This is cheaper less expensive than a tv channel
I wonder how much it costs the city to maintain our tv station etc..Maybe a group like this would do it for free...How much would that save norfolk taxpayers.
Excellent!!!!
Good job Altdaily..
Perhaps Paul Riddick may stop falling asleep at meetings now that he's on camera..
Just like facebook in the middle east: here's norfolk's version
"Mayor Paul Fraim said the issue will be discussed this spring as part of debates on the budget."
It doesn't matter anymore Mr. Mayor that you want to hold business in in the dark. It's not a money issue either. The cameras are already in council chambers. Just turn them on. City leaders are about to be exposed by citizen activists. Taxpayers will get the sunshine they are paying for now with the public meetings being broadcast 24/7 worldwide. This one thing will do more for Norfolk than anything else. I hope it continues to be webcast by AltDaily.com until Norfolk is pushed into the 21st century with leaders who "get it".
Transparency is coming to Norfolk and with it accountability. The world is about to change.
Amen!
Did you arrive late to the
Did you arrive late to the informal session, wearing a shirt about voting?
Mr. O'Toole
No, that was Ellis James.