Elgin to video record meetings on 'case-by-case' basis

The Elgin City Council will decide whether to record on video special committee of the whole meetings on a case-by-case basis, although it's unclear what criteria will be applied exactly.

A unanimous 9-0 vote came after a failed motion by Councilwoman Tish Powell to video-record all special meetings about the city's budget. Only Councilmen Rich Dunne and Corey Dixon supported that.

City Manager Rick Kozal scheduled three special meetings to be held on Saturday mornings in the lobby of the Hemmens Cultural Center, which is not equipped for video recording. One took place earlier this month; the next ones are scheduled for Sept. 16 and Oct. 7.

Kozal said he will informally poll council members when he finalizes the agendas for upcoming special meetings. He will gauge whether a majority wants to move them to the council chambers in the Robert Gilliam Municipal Complex, where they can be video recorded, he said.

Powell had argued that the upcoming budget season will be "a tough one," which makes it even more important to be transparent. The city's fiscal year begins Jan. 1.

"I think we really owe it to ourselves to make sure that the public understands the constraints that we are going to be under, and make sure we engage our residents in those discussions," Powell said.

But the other six council members - Carol Rauschenberger, Toby Shaw, John Steffen, Rose Martinez, Terry Gavin and Mayor David Kaptain - said it's fine not to video-record meetings where no decisions are made.

The Hemmens "is a great location" to have more relaxed discussions, Gavin said, adding it costs about $2,000 - mostly for staff members' time - to video-record meetings. Without cameras, he said, "we are not playing to the camera, we're not trying to play junior politicians trying to make our points."

Shaw agreed, adding there is "plenty of opportunity where we are in front of the public." The council is scheduled to continue discussing the budget at regular committee of the whole meetings in November and December. Those will be video-recorded, live-streamed online and broadcast live on local TV.

But Dixon said it's important the public perceive the city to be as transparent as possible. "I think the wild card in this whole thing is that we are in a tough budget this year," he said. "When you are facing something like that, you want to go the extra step."