Council to Consider Future of WebCasting

WebCasting City Council Meetings

Local Governments Turn To Streaming Video

Call Bill Milling at 917-414-5489

Feb. 18, 2013, 4 a.m.

Councilors will debate the WebCasting issue during Wednesday’s council meeting and consider a recommendation that said council not Webcast its meetings due to the associated risks and liability.

Councilors delayed making a final decision on WebCasting last year when they requested a further report on the possible way forward, considering legal advice and associated costs.

Council meetings were webcast from March 2008 and stopped in July of last year, awaiting a report to address the costs, audience numbers and risks.

The Webcasting System when installed cost $82,500 with an annual ongoing cost of almost $7000.

The report to go before Wednesday’s council meeting puts the ongoing monthly operational costs at between $2979 and $6939, depending on the option pursued.

Web audiences ranged from 757 to zero.

Meanwhile, the community garden proposal is also on the council meeting agenda.

The plan to establish Port Macquarie’s first community garden grew from a $131,000 grant from the NSW Community Builders Program.

The council has consulted with the community about the proposed site at Central Road.

More than 200 people completed a survey and 10 formal submissions flowed in from community members and groups.

WebCasting City Council – Hoboken

Concerns included the garden’s proposed location near Parkland’s Village.

The Central Road location for the community garden will be approved if the councilors agree with a recommendation in the business paper.

Other items on the agenda include Stingray Creek Bridge, coastal erosion notations at Lake Cathie and Wauchope town center bypass.

The meeting will be held at the council’s Port Macquarie chambers in Burrawan Street from 5.30pm on Wednesday.