Wheaton park board meetings fade to black

Broadcasts of Wheaton Park District board meetings are on hiatus until a cheaper, or a least more entertaining, version is created.

Park commissioners informally agreed this week to suspend the taping and broadcasting of their meetings on local cable access because it costs too much.

The park board was the last major Wheaton taxing body to begin televising their meetings. Commissioners budgeted about $8,600 last year to begin the broadcasts. However, the true costs of the broadcasts proved to be about $10,000.

Executive Director Mike Benard asked commissioners this week if they thought the money might be better spent elsewhere. The discussion immediately focused on a general lack of viewer feedback to prove that anyone even watches the broadcasts.

"I have absolutely heard nothing from no one," Commissioner Mark Schobel said. "So maybe a little effort on their part to actually come and see what we do would be nice. Ten thousand dollars for a program nobody watches is a waste of money."

The majority of commissioners did say they'd received feedback from at least one resident since the broadcasts began. But Commissioner Terry Mee said the value of the broadcasts isn't in the fan mail.

"We talk about transparency, and then all of a sudden we want to be invisible again," Mee said. "I would never, ever support the idea that we should be less transparent. I think it's money well spent."

Commissioners directed staff to ask residents in a future survey if they want the broadcasts to return. Until then, park staff may try to develop cable access programming that highlights specific park programs instead of the board meetings.