PAXTON —Members of the public unable to attend the Ford County Board’s regular monthly meetings in Paxton will soon be able to listen in and watch the meetings as they happen — or anytime later — using their computer or phone.
The live-streamed and audio- and video-recorded broadcasts are expected to begin with the board’s Aug. 11 meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in the board room in the basement of the sheriff’s office and jail, 234 N. American St.
The measure was announced by Chairman Chase McCall of Gibson City during the 12-member board’s meeting on Monday, July 14, when the board’s Owl Labs’ 360-degree video conferencing camera system received an initial trial run. As part of that “test phase” to “make sure it works,” McCall said he asked Sarah Mussman of Gibson City, the only board member absent, to watch the meeting remotely and provide her feedback on the video and audio quality.
McCall said the camera system can swivel 360 degrees and provides a “panoramic view” of the board room while automatically “concentrating” on individuals when they speak. It will be used for all regular monthly meetings and for committee meetings, as well, when requested by a committee’s chairman, McCall said.
This is a screenshot of the Ford County Board’s July 14 meeting, which was recorded using Microsoft Teams software.
“Going live,” as McCall described it, is all part of “an effort to improve our transparency and community engagement.” McCall, who is now in the eighth month of his first chairmanship, said having meetings recorded also can be of use if there is ever any question about what actions the board has taken — as has occurred in recent months as meetings have not been recorded.
McCall said the recordings are done through the county’s Microsoft Teams software, which comes free through its Microsoft Office Suite package provided through Gibson City-based MCS Office Technologies. Under McCall’s plan, the public will be able to watch a livestream of the meetings via a link on the county’s website, or they instead can watch recordings later under the same section of the site that lists board meeting minutes.
“There would be a separate column for the link to the video recording,” McCall said.
Those without internet access will be able to listen in over their phone, as well, by dialing a designated call-in number, McCall said.
All of those attending remotely are “free to listen to our conversation,” McCall said, but they will be unable to make comments to the board, as the “audience” will be “muted,” McCall noted.
“Even if you call in or you’re on the Teams platform, I can mute participants — except for myself — so that we don’t have back-and-forth chatter going on online,” McCall told the board.
McCall noted that county board members can attend remotely, too, but would be unable to participate in votes unless the board first approves their remote attendance, which is allowed by law under only limited circumstances. Otherwise, McCall told his colleagues, “Your ass has to be in the seat.”
Board member Cindy Ihrke of rural Roberts, who has suggested repeatedly that the board’s open meetings be recorded, thanked McCall for finally making it happen.
“I think it’s great,” Ihrke said. “Thank you very much for getting this set up.”