Transparency: Rye City Council Meetings Now on the Net
In a move that marks a new era of transparency in Rye City government, city council meetings will now be broadcast over the Internet beginning with 2009's first meeting this Wednesday, January 14th.
RyeTV's Nicole Levitsky told MyRye.com Internet broadcasting has been in the works for a while and was finally made a reality after the recent franchise agreements were signed with Verizon and Cablevision. RyeTV chose a service called Peg.TV by TelVue "We had posted a few Council meetings on Google video, but it is a huge file and only worked occasionally. I wanted something more reliable and with complete control over it – not a commercial site," said Levitsky.
Live streaming will not be available because RyeTV still has to transcode/ftp the video (this takes time) but Levitsky reports she expects council meetings to be available on a next day basis.
Once posted on the new RyeTV video site, playbacks of multiple programs including city council meetings, Eye of Rye and other public access shows will be available on demand.
The Rye TV site is already carrying its first two shows: an Eye of Rye with Joe Sack and a short item on Nashville, Tennessee by the "old Garnet Insider" kids Andrew Dapolite, Travis LaBella and Dave Pilla. In his Eye on Rye show, Sack interviews the Rye members of the 2008 Westchester County Senior Hall of Fame - Doris Blank, Ellen “Sis” D’Angelo and Ruth Jaskow.
We hope these cool ladies point out to their grandchildren they can be seen on the net and on demand. Very hip.
The use of the word transparency when referring to the Rye City Council and Rye City Government is an oxymoron.
The Rye City Council will still discuss 90% of Rye’s business behind closed doors and then come out from behind the curtain and vote on the issues in public.
Wry Record has it right.
We need fresh leadership – not an entrenched closet government parading for the cameras as transparent.
Umm? Did anyone take a look at the videos posted to the new site?
There’s one clever one who’s title I’ll not transpose here but it deals with urinals and death.
This clip would likely not pass muster with any broadcast network’s ‘standards and practices’ department.
Until a little editorial discretion is exercised by the RyeTV producers, I’d caution bringing the kiddies to this site.
you are right tedc..its really poor taste
It likely wouldn’t pass muster with any broadcast network’s standards? hmmm. Watch just about any broadcast network in primetime…or any time for that matter and I assure you you’d find more objectionable material. Is it the title that you object to or the actual content of the program? I personally don’t find either particularly offensive.
And as far as “editorial discrection” goes, you’re talking about a PUBLIC ACCESS station. Public Access gives the public an opportunity to speak freely without worrying about being censored.
Me
I would not censor but I would comment that it is in poor taste.
We have an individual who has problems with the city of rye and presents his spokesman as a hugh turd. I would not censor him, but I would say that in bad taste.
There’s more than one turd floating around Rye Government.
Bucky,
Fair enough. I just took issue with the “editorial discrection” comment. Public Access is an amazing resource for citizens all over the country. I would just hate to think that anyone would suggest that we should even go down the road of hampering free speech.
I get your point though. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What’s not in poor taste to some may be to others.
This was the December 17, 2008 Rye City Council Agenda received via the City of Rye e-mail notification:
There will be a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rye on Wednesday, December 17, 2008, at 8:00 p.m. in the Council Room of City Hall. The Council will convene at 7:00 p.m. and it is expected they will adjourn into Executive Session to discuss attorney/ client matters at 7:01 p.m.
This is what was stated in the December 17, 2008 City Council Minutes that was received today:
The City Council convened at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Otis made a motion, seconded by Councilman Cunningham and unanimously carried to adjourn into Executive Session to discuss personnel issues regarding the Administrative Pay Group. Mayor Otis made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Gamache and unanimously carried to close the Executive Session at 8:20 p.m. No decisions were made. The Council reconvened at 8:23 p.m.
Why didn’t Shew and the Rye City Council tell the public what they were really going to discuss in Executive Session on December 17th? Why all the secrecy Otis?
It seems to me that the City of Rye intentionally leaves items off their agenda to discuss behind closed door and City Clerk Nodarse drags her feet in publishing the minutes to keep the information from the public.
There is no transparency in Rye government. Otis, Shew, Connors, Plunkett and Toomey all need to go in 2009.
More transparency? What a joke.
Only six days after holding a Rye City Council meeting, Otis found it necessary to hold a “Special Meeting” and to go into “Executive Session” for 2 hours and 40 minutes. What is going on behind closed doors?
The posted agenda for this “Special Meeting” stated they were to discuss employee negotiations. The actual minutes stated they discussed personnel.
CITY OF RYE
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING
The City Council has called a Special Meeting for Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room. It is expected that the Council will adjourn into Executive Session to discuss employee negotiations.
AGENDA
1. The City Council will convene into Executive Session and will not reconvene.
These are the actual minutes of the “Special Meeting”.
APPROVED MINUTES of the Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Rye held in City Hall on January 20, 2009 at 7:30 P.M.
PRESENT:
STEVEN OTIS, Mayor
ANDREW C. BALL
MACK CUNNINGHAM
CATHERINE F. PARKER
GEORGE S. PRATT
Councilmembers
ABSENT:
PAULA J. GAMACHE
JOSEPH A. SACK
1. Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Otis called the meeting to order and invited the Council to join in the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Roll Call
Mayor Otis asked for the roll to be called; a quorum was present to conduct official city business.
3. Adjournment into Executive Session
Mayor Otis made a motion, seconded by Councilman Pratt and unanimously adopted to adjourn into Executive Session to discuss personnel.
No decisions were made.
4. Adjournment
There being no further business to discuss, Mayor Otis made a motion, seconded by Councilman Ball and unanimously carried, to adjourn the meeting at 10:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dawn F. Nodarse
City Clerk
If you would like to watch the High? drologist give his presentation at the 3/25/09 City Council meeting, here is the link:
https://origin.peg.tv:3000/pegtv_player?affiliate=T00371
High? drologist
That’s very good!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUDT-VsHDN4&NR=1
Jack A. (Mr. Floatie’s ass-istant)
I LIKE THAT SPELLING BETTER-I’M CHANGING MY TAG TO> HIGH LIE A GIST.
Transparency in Rye? Hardly. More like transpiracy.
Why didn’t Otis televise the March 17, 2009 Council meeting where Shew was suspended?
Why didn’t Otis allow the public to speak on this agenda item at this Council meeting?
Why didn’t Otis allow the public to speak on the appointment of Culross at this Council meeting?
Why did the rest of the Rye City Council( Ball, Cunningham, Sack, Gamache, Parker and Pratt) sit idly and allow Otis to violate the NYS Open Meetings Law??
Given what Otis and this Council have done and for that matter have not done, I would take a Jack Ass over these pompous baboons.
How many people know Culross is getting $1,000 a day?
How many people know Shew has asked for a public hearing?