Rockville Town Board continues to work towards broadcasting meetings

With all city and town councils in Indiana needing to broadcast their public meetings beginning July 1, Rockville town officials continue to examine what is necessary to ensure that happens. 

At its recent meeting, the Rockville Town Board again discussed the matter but took no action. 

Town Clerk-Treasurer Brandy Asher told the council there are several different ways to record and broadcast meetings to the public, including the use of a laptop.

"It looks like some of the smaller towns are just doing a camera version you can purchase through Amazon. You can do it from a laptop. If we did the camera option, that may be the best. We have to have it in place on July 1," Asher told the board. 

Under HEA 1167, which will go into effect on July 1, Indiana town councils are required to livestream their meetings, as well as record and archive them on the entity's website for at least 90 days. 

The new law applies to the following governing bodies in Indiana: all state boards and commissions, all elected school boards, county commissioners, all county councils, city-county councils, common councils, town councils and township boards, and any governing body that conducts the governing body's regular meetings in the same meeting room in which an executive, legislative body, fiscal body or elected school board met. 

The law will not apply to unelected school boards, executive sessions, state educational institutions, certain meetings of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, governing body committees, agencies of counties, municipalities or townships, and fire protection districts and territories. 

Town Board President Dave Brown asked for information and costs of cameras, which Asher said she would have.