In a recent email newsletter, Penn Township announced: “Due to technical difficulties, livestream meetings are temporarily unavailable. An improved audio and visual experience is coming soon!”
I am glad to hear it. Since last fall, Penn Township hasn’t had streamed video or recordings of meetings available to the public.
Myself and others have repeatedly raised this issue with Penn Township commissioners and staff, to be told that the minutes of meetings are publicly available. However, the minutes often are an incomplete transcription of what is said in meetings. They are not available until after they are approved a month later. Administrators have told me I am always welcome to attend the meetings personally. But for myself and others, this is not always possible. A resident who works during evenings, for example, should have the option of watching the recordings after they get home.
The minutes also used to be higher quality. If you look at old minutes from when Jeanann Greer transcribed meeting minutes, such as the Dec. 19, 2019, commissioners caucus, you will find that they are verbatim. But present-day minutes are usually just a brief summary.
I hope that Penn Township follows through on fixing the video situation quickly. This will help the public engage with their local elected officials, which is an important part of open governance.
Patricia Wendell
Penn Township, Westmoreland County