MONROE - A new YouTube channel called "City of Monroe Wisconsin" will now host meeting proceedings until the city determines how best to post video of committee and council meetings online.
Links to videos can be found on the city website beside each meeting agenda listed.
City Administrator Phil Rath said the process has been a learning experience. The city recently acquired a new camera for roughly $200 to set up in the makeshift council chambers at the westside fire station while City Hall remains closed due to flooring issues.
"It seemed like a viable solution for what was supposed to be a temporary situation," Rath said.
Rath added that the option was chosen partially because of success by other municipalities in using YouTube to host meeting videos.
Camera equipment from City Hall is currently packed away in storage trailers, though Rath said the city needed a new camera regardless. Meetings are not broadcast live but are uploaded within a few days to the channel for the public to view. On Thursday, the channel had so far posted six videos. Rath noted that the uploading process has taken longer than initially estimated.
Videos of high quality are cut off at certain time limits. Rath said the city figured out quickly that not only will meetings end up in segments but that the camera batteries die within an hour-long recording. The camera has also been relocated a handful of times in order to find the best viewing angle.
The decision to utilize the channel was finalized in mid-December. Once the camera was purchased, the first proceedings recorded and uploaded was the Monroe Common Council meeting from Feb. 7.
Plans to use the YouTube channel are indefinite. Because of the relocation, alderman Michael Boyce requested a method of recording meetings on behalf of residents who enjoyed viewing them online.
Rath said council members have been evaluating how to replace the former recording method due to a lack of seamless software between the agendas, minutes and video. Until staff moves back to City Hall, they will continue with the current setup.
Once the city decides how to handle video in the future, Rath said the channel will remain open for possible other uses, such as community events video or recordings of staff reports.
Links to videos can be found on the city website beside each meeting agenda listed.
City Administrator Phil Rath said the process has been a learning experience. The city recently acquired a new camera for roughly $200 to set up in the makeshift council chambers at the westside fire station while City Hall remains closed due to flooring issues.
"It seemed like a viable solution for what was supposed to be a temporary situation," Rath said.
Rath added that the option was chosen partially because of success by other municipalities in using YouTube to host meeting videos.
Camera equipment from City Hall is currently packed away in storage trailers, though Rath said the city needed a new camera regardless. Meetings are not broadcast live but are uploaded within a few days to the channel for the public to view. On Thursday, the channel had so far posted six videos. Rath noted that the uploading process has taken longer than initially estimated.
Videos of high quality are cut off at certain time limits. Rath said the city figured out quickly that not only will meetings end up in segments but that the camera batteries die within an hour-long recording. The camera has also been relocated a handful of times in order to find the best viewing angle.
The decision to utilize the channel was finalized in mid-December. Once the camera was purchased, the first proceedings recorded and uploaded was the Monroe Common Council meeting from Feb. 7.
Plans to use the YouTube channel are indefinite. Because of the relocation, alderman Michael Boyce requested a method of recording meetings on behalf of residents who enjoyed viewing them online.
Rath said council members have been evaluating how to replace the former recording method due to a lack of seamless software between the agendas, minutes and video. Until staff moves back to City Hall, they will continue with the current setup.
Once the city decides how to handle video in the future, Rath said the channel will remain open for possible other uses, such as community events video or recordings of staff reports.