Elk Point Council going live

For residents interested in knowing what happens when the Elk Point Town Council gathers, the opportunity to watch meetings live from a comfy chair at home is coming. Council will be discussing live streaming meetings going forward.

The March 25th was recorded as a test, and Council was impressed with the results. Council borrowed a live streaming camera from Lakeland Connect to test whether or not it would be viable for meetings to be live streamed.

“The goal for council is to be transparent,” explained Town Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Ken Gwozdz.

Camera functions

The camera allows for the public to provide real-time input and discussion.

With this camera, meetings can be live streamed on multiple platforms; including, Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, as well as the Town’s website http://elkpoint.ca. The camera also allows for an option to forgo live streaming and simply record in up to 4K quality.

There is also a software package that will also for pdf or image files to be uploaded and displayed during the live stream. This would be very beneficial when discussing a topic that requires a visual, such as a map of land or image of property.

Council decided the camera worked well for their purposes and will now decide whether or not to purchase a similar camera.

Cost

The camera will cost $1,200 to purchase, with the software packages required to live stream on multiple platforms and add graphics or pdf overlays. Council has asked Town Administration to research whether this is the best price or to find a different model. Council will discuss its options at the April 8th regular meeting. Costs involved in obtaining a camera will be considered by Council and evaluated prior to the upcoming annual budget.

Besides broadcasting council meetings, the camera could be used to record community events or to rent out to organizations.

Council plans to engage the public to receive feedback on this matter.