The public will no longer be able to watch Yelm City Council study sessions after the fact to learn more about city business.
After 14 years, the City of Yelm will no longer record or post online the study sessions after the council voted, 4-3, to eliminate its live streams and recordings of study sessions on Tuesday, Dec. 10, during a Yelm City Council meeting.
Yelm city councilors Tracey Wood, Joseph Richardson, Joshua Crossman and Trevor Palmer voted in favor to eliminate video and audio recording and streaming from city study sessions. Councilors Stephanie Kangiser, Brian Hess and Kaminski voted against the elimination of study sessions being shared online with the public.
Yelm City Council has provided live streams of its meetings — including study sessions — since 2010, Hess said.
Kaminski asked Yelm City Clerk Kathy Linnemeyer what the state requires of cities regarding council study sessions. She said the City of Yelm is not required by law to record and provide online access to study sessions, however, doing so is strongly encouraged.
Yelm City Administrator Todd Stancil said the topic of eliminating the online study session options was discussed during the last study session on Tuesday, Dec. 3 but added that the council has discussed changing the meetings’ format for some time.
“Council has expressed the desire to make these sessions more informal, which will promote more open discussion among council members,” Stancil said on Dec. 10. “Council believes eliminating the current practice of live streaming and recording the meetings would allow for a better discussion and more informed decision making.”
The public can still attend study sessions in person. The City Council study sessions take place at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at City Hall.
Crossman said the city needs a balance of transparency and effectiveness, and he believes that study sessions already meet the requirements of a transparent city government as they are open to the public. He added that residents can receive emailed information and agendas for upcoming study sessions and meetings.
He said, since no official business takes place during study sessions, councilors are just “brainstorming” during those specific gatherings, and that it’s “odd” to record study sessions. Crossman said perhaps his biggest reason for voting to eliminate live streams and online postings of study sessions is because he claims the majority of people censor themselves when they’re on camera.
“They don’t say things they’d normally say, especially someone who is more shy will back away. I think that’s detrimental to having open discussions and getting everyone’s opinions,” Crossman said. “If you follow me on Facebook or social media, you’ll know I’m not afraid of a camera. I realize in seeing people that have come through these seats, that’s not everybody.”
Hess asked the council members if they understood that a tool they could use would be taken away by eliminating online postings of study sessions. He said that councilors, including himself, often use the online recordings to refresh their memory on topics that were discussed as far as six months back. Hess voted against the elimination of study session streams for the sake of councilors staying informed on previous discussions.
“As I said during the study session last week, this is a tool that I utilize to go back and hear everybody's views, as well as the pertinent information that’s given,” Hess said.
Richardson said that councilors can often behave like “robots and zombies” as soon as council meetings and study sessions begin being recorded, which was why he voted in favor of eliminating the recordings.
“What we are inhibited to do when I hear the phrase ‘recording in progress,’ I am now not at freedom to speak how I really would. It’s a very similar situation of when me and my wife go somewhere, get in the car, and we’re like ‘can you believe that person said what they said?’ I think there’s an opportunity here for real handling of business,” Richardson said. “We have a world class clerk that can take down information. We’re not breaking any laws. I know there’s a concern over transparency, but I think transparency comes out the most when we actually get to talk to each other.”
Richardson added that he believes this will allow the council to work at a faster pace, as well. He wants real content and real conversations during study sessions and suspects this will accomplish that, as well.
“I understand what [Hess] is talking about and that’s how his brain works and processes. He goes back and looks through thing. He’s very analytical. I get that he might need that. Maybe he’ll just have to bring a recorder himself, maybe take notes, draw pictures, I don’t know,” Richardson said. “I think in the sense of this, I want room for free deliberation, and I also think not just us as councilors will speak differently, I wonder if the city staff would have different conversations with us as well.”
Kangiser said, like most of the council, she’s been researching how surrounding cities conduct their study sessions and if those meetings are posted somewhere online. She referenced the City of Olympia and how it conducts less formal study sessions but how those meetings are still posted online.
“Being councilors, we are held to a little bit higher of a degree of having a discussion, and I think that there needs to be a little bit of, not just transparency, but accountability, as well. I think the recordings maybe deliver just a little bit of both, and it keeps you mindful of where you are and who you are,” Kangiser said. “This is a space to learn, a place to listen to a presentation and share opinions, but we’re still held to a professional code.”
Hess added that he believes every study session has been professionally handled and “very forthright.”
“If someone is afraid of calling someone an idiot on camera, maybe that’s your conscience telling you ‘hey that’s not appropriate to do,’ and it’s stepping in there,” Hess said.
To view Yelm City Council agendas or sign up for email notices, go to www.ci.yelm.wa.us/government/city_council/minutes___agendas/.
