Cheshire Town Government Takes a Step Toward Transparency

Today (May 7), for the first time the monthly meeting of the Cheshire Parks and Recreation Commission will be televised live on Cox Communications local government access (channel 14) and AT&T Uverse (Channel 99).

As an appointed member of the Cheshire Parks and Recreation Commission who knows the importance of communication as a sportswriter for the New Haven Register the past 30 years, I believe this opportunity is a win-win situation for everyone involved. The televised meeting will cover the Commission’s entire meeting from roll call to adjournment.

The Parks and Recreation Commission normally meets at the Park-Rec Youth Center adjacent to Cheshire High on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. But the televised meeting will be held in Town Council Chambers at Town Hall at 7 p.m.  Town meetings are televised in Town Council Chambers in order to utilize the camera equipment already in place for the regularly televised monthly meetings of the Town Council, Board of Education and Planning and Zoning.

In a Cheshire Citizen story that appeared in January, it was reported that Cheshire Town Manager Mike Milone announced the plan at the Jan. 14 Town Council meeting to televise selected 2014 meetings of all of its boards, commissions and committees. He explained the effort is a means to provide more visibility to the town’s policy making process. The news report also stated that Assistant Town Manager Louis Zullo said it is a way to create interest in other points of government and a way of providing insight into the work of lower-profile municipal bodies.

The bottom line is it comes down to one important item – local government transparency.

Due to the evolution of new technologies, coupled with an increasingly connected and engaged population, it becomes almost a prerequisite to promote transparency in government with public participation and collaboration. The result is more effective government services.

Cost-effective communication initiatives like the Park and Recreation Commission televised meeting can work to allow citizens to be informed and have access to understandable, accurate, reusable and auditable data and information about government operations and decision making.

The technology of the 21st Century should be a two-way street, utilized to make information available offline or online and also as a tool for citizens’ feedback to identify what is more useful to the public. Offline, Cheshire residents can see the inner workings of a Commission or Board live via a television broadcast (Cox local government access). Online, you can access video replays of the televised meetings at www.Cheshirect.org.

Ultimately, this can increase government accountability, promote informed public participation and create economic development.

Other planned televised Cheshire Commission meetings include the Economic Development Commission on May 20, the Public Safety Commission in September and Historic District Commission in October.

Note that the agenda for the May 7 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting is below. 

Cheshire residents may check out the entire  www.Cheshiredem.org site on a regular basis for its updates on issues affecting the town.


PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION

CHESHIRE, CONNECTICUT 
 
MAY 7, 2014 
 
TOWN HALL 
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 7 PM 

AGENDA 
 
CALL TO ORDER: JIM NANKIN CHAIRMAN 
 
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 
 
MINUTES OF APRIL MEETING: MARILYN MILTON 
 
COUNCIL LIAISON: PETER TALBOT 
 
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: JIM NANKIN 
 COMMUNICATIONS 
 POOL DISCUSSION SHEILA ADAMS 
 MIXVILLE DREDGING 
 RECREATION PROGRAMS BOB CECCOLINI 
 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE CHERYL COREY 
 PARKS REPORT KEVIN SIMMONS 

 
DOG PARK: KAREN BERTONI 
 BOB CECCOLINI 
 
BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION: MICHAEL O’DONNELL 
 
BUDGET REPORT: BOB CECCOLINI 
 OPERATING & CAPITAL 
 
COMMISSIONERS’ FORUM 
 
ADJOURNMENT