Elgin wants to put video of public meetings online

Public meetings soon may be only a mouse click away in Elgin.

On Friday, city officials said they're soliciting proposals from companies to post video of all public meetings on the city's Web site.

The service, which they hope to have in place by early January, would include all city council meetings, as well as planning, zoning and other committee meetings.

"I think it's a tremendous community service," city spokeswoman Sue Olafson said. "People who don't have the ability or the time to get to a council meeting will still be able to learn about what's happening in their city."

Similar technology is already used by municipal boards in Mundelein, Wood Dale, Addison, Naperville and Glenview. Aurora-based Indian Prairie Unit School District 204's board also puts video of its meetings online.

The Lincolnshire village board is expected to vote on a similar initiative next month.

In Elgin, the city council discussed the idea last November. But city officials only now are soliciting proposals, Olafson said.

"We had to make sure that all of our ducks were in a row," she said. "That the infrastructure could be supported, the hosting could be supported. We are going to see what's out there. We know what we want."

City officials say they could spend upward of $20,000 on the technology.

As it stands, they wouldn't be able to air live meetings, as they do on the local cable television.

Rather, the videos would be posted after the meetings concluded, and users would be able to watch the entire proceedings or click on agenda items to see clips of specific discussions.

"They have the ability then to respond either via the Web site, or pick up a phone and call us," Olafson said. "We are moving in a direction where we want to have that connection with our residents."