So much for transparency and serving the public in Madison County. District 3 Supervisor D.I. Smith proposed at the regular meeting of the Madison County Board of Supervisors Monday that the County study the feasibility of broadcasting the meetings online.
Mr. Smith proposed during the new business section
"Over the last two years there have been a number of complaints by Madison County citizens about the access to the Board of Supervisors meeting, particularly since they are held when most people are at work.
I propose and move that the Board of Supervisors direct the Board Secretary, Chancery Clerk Arthur Johnston, and Information Technology Director, Duane Thompson, to report to the Board at its first meeting in September on the costs and feasibility of broadcasting meetings of the Madison County Board of Supervisors on the internet via webcast streaming, in the interests of providing more convenience, transparency and open government to Madison County residents. The Secretary of the Board will also make recommendations on additional issues such as on-line archiving of the video recordings, equipment requirements, vendors, applications, costs; and which County personnel should oversee its operation.
The report shall be issued in writing and the Board shall decide at the first meeting in September on whether to broadcast its meetings via the internet.
D.I. Smith
Supervisor
District 3
June 7, 2010"
Unfortunately, Mr. Smith's motion died for lack of a second as not even his long-time ally, John Bell Crosby would even support studying putting the meetings on the internet. Tim Johnson could not resist twisting the knife and said "well, D.I., you can now put up on your website your motion died for lack of a second." Mr. Smith distributed these two documents to the public and reporters present: Motion, Advantages of streaming meetings.
Billy Redd, Candidate for District 2 Supervisor position, told JJ "unless there is some reason legally that you can't stream the meetings or it was so unbelievably cost-prohibitive, this is something we should for Madison County. I don't see a reason why we would not want to do this for open government." When asked if he would have seconded the motion, Mr. Redd said "absolutely."
Madison County residents should give the Supervisors hell over this one as it shows they have no interest whatsoever in serving them or listening to their concerns. These guys come around begging for your vote and your money yet when someone asks them to study making it easier for you to see what they are up to in Canton, they don' t just say "no" but "hell no" to the voters. One could understand choosing not to broadcast the meetings if it cost too much or required too much work from too many people but such was not the case in this meeting. The Supervisors are only interested in making Canton a poor-man's Mount Olympus where few can see them cut their deals and reward their friends, the public be damned.
Notes:
By the way, if anyone wants to tape the meetings and send me the video, I'll put it up here. that goes for the Canton meeting as well.
Also, this rejection was not published in the MC Herald or the Madison County Journal. I understand the MCH because it is Gannett but since Steve Watson claims to be an actual reporter, one would expect him to report on such things.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Madison Supes reject streaming meetings online
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27 comments:
So, what are they trying to hide from the voters?+
They aren't hiding anything, they just don't want to be exposed for the fools they are.
If Karl Banks could have his way he'd close all board meetings to the public. He doesn't want more openness, he wants way less.
Somebody help me here...it is 2010 isn't it? For some reason I had a flash that we were in 1950.
It would be interesting to have the Madison folks on video. However, I would request that the Jackson City Council please refrain from ever, ever, ever being on the tube again. Between Kenny and Enoch, what people must think about us.....oh, my!
Thank you D I Smith, and Billy Redd. Keep the pressure on these guys.
The contempt that I have for this board knows no bounds. I just know there is someone out there that will tape these meetings so that they can be posted here.
Thank you Jackson Jambalaya for shedding what little light we have on this so-called Board of Supervisors.
Someone please post phone numbers and lets get the calls stated.
John Bell Crosby – District 1
johnbellcrosby@comcast.net
(601) 874-5618
Tim Johnson -- District 2
No Info
Karl Banks -- District 4
kmb921@bellsouth.net
(601) 832-2962
Paul Griffin -- District 5
(601) 937-2842
We could use some help over here in Rankin. Apparently they passed an ordinance to outlaw certain businesses. The businesses that exist at this time are put forth, IMO, in a way that is acceptable to the community...read...they know the decorum of the county...
They passed it over the weekend...I have a personal stake in this as my neighbor is trying to feed his family and he doesn't live in Palisades.
Looks like it is time to get the "Tea Party" movement going in Madison County!
Ed darling has canceled any plans watson had for real reporting.
Many years ago there was a candidate for an elected office here in Hinds. He published his email address on campaign lit. He was real stupid. When you searched on his email address it produced hundreds of hits on a porn message board that he frequented. He lost.
Now I wonder what Karl Banks' email address will reveal.
Madison County Supervisor and Board President, "Elvis" aka Tim Johnson, can be reached at (601)955-6672, email: tjohnson@madison-co.com
The board feels it is none of the voter's beeswax what goes down at their meetings, so just zip it.
If they want us to know, they'll get around to that. So, everybody stay on point and pay those taxes!
check out Karl's email Oh My...Plunder.com ask me if I was a SEX GOD..What's the deal with that. Karl are you some kind of freak? Just thought I ask...
Watson has returned fire on facebook
What did it say?
Which leads to the question: If a tree falls in the woods......
Hmmm - more official proof that Facebook has peaked and is on its way out. What will replace it?
As my teenage daughter said: "Once Grandma friended me on Facebook it didn't seem so cool anymore" ;-)
For businesses the ROI for all that 'social' media is zilch.
I always suspected that if a tree falls in the forest, a little bird just might sing about it somewhere else! ;O)
It is no wonder that the newspapers are declining. I have read the C-L front to back since I was 7 yrs. old & not one word about this. I just may cancel.
Someone mentioned tea party movement for Madison Co. They should all be put out of office. This board had done nothing but spend money & raise taxes.
Madison County Tea Party info:
Pat Bruce, President
email: patbrucemi@aol.com
MCTP
PO Box 1218
Madison, MS 39130
Mission:
“Concerned citizens committed to the promotion of traditional ideas of limited government as defined in the strict interpretation of the Constitution, free-market capitalism, and fiscal responsibility.”
D.I. Smith's proposal was reported in The Madison County Herald on June 10. See "Zoning change causes concern." The zoning matter was the major story during the meeting, but the online video proposal did get mention in the later paragraphs of the story. The Herald did not ignore the issue, as was implied by the blog.
You need an excavator to find that blurb as its buried so well. No mention of it in headline and its on page 3 of the online story.
For at least that past two years, a tiny yet fast-growing group of folks who call themselves “Gov 2.0 advocates” has worked tirelessly to spread a message that emerging technologies, low-cost communications and digital culture can reshape Madison County government to be more collaborative, transparent, efficient and connected to its citizens.
If you put a video camera in the Madison County Supervisors meeting, it had better have a circle of little old ladies around it to protect it from Tim Johnson and Karl Banks. They certainly have no interest in transparency.
How about moving the meeting to a time where the tax-paying citizens of the county can attend?
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