Status of livestreaming Village of Lancaster board meetings – crickets!

[mark blazejewski]

I have been informed that the Village of Lancaster has approved livestreaming its meetings...


Another Lucy-Charlie Brown hide-the-football antic!

Lee, this is just my opinion:

If one interprets the adoption of VOL Board Resolution 574, approved at its February 26, 2024 public session, as its approval to livestream its public meetings, I think it may be a victory for misleading rhetoric over existing reality.

TECHNOLOGY[/COLOR] & MARKETING –

Trustee Malone Schaefer Motion by Trustee Malone Schaefer and seconded by Trustee Maciejewski to approve the live streaming and audio proposals from Robert Mark Audio for improvements in Council Chambers.

Adopted Resolution: 574 Ayes: Mayor Ruda, Trustees Maciejewski, Malone Schaefer, Mikoley, and Santoro

(Reference: https://ecode360.com/LA0609/document/753029479.pdf)

If I understand Resolution 574 correctly, it only approves a proposal to IMPROVE the EXISTING VOL livestreaming CAPABILITIES, but falls far short from enshrining into law, the livestreaming of all VOL Board meetings, but that is my interpretation.

I see in that Resolution any NO language reference whatsoever to an official, legislative commitment by the VOL Board to the livestreaming of its public sessions.

To those who oppose my opinion, by all means, correct me if I'm wrong. In your correction, please provide me and the other readers with the specific, precise language in the Resolution that speaks to such a commitment.

Until I receive such a documented correction, it remains my opinion that those who are representing that Resolution as an official commitment, enshrined in law, to livestream the meetings of the VOL Board, are perhaps deceptively and unduly, equating capability potential with a legal requirement.

As things stand now, much ado about nothing, IMHO.

[mark blazejewski]

I see in that Resolution any NO language reference whatsoever to an official, legislative commitment by the VOL Board to the livestreaming of its public sessions.

Let me write that more clearly:

I see in that Resolution any NO language whatsoever, which refers to an official, legislative commitment by the VOL Board to the livestreaming of its public sessions.

[GroundControl]

Mark, it took from a late November until a February meeting for the VOL board to even resolve to act let alone sign a contract and give date certain when the up to mondern standards new system would be installed.

It is my belief that the mayor is dragging this issue of no transparency out as long as possible. Why would she not be the one to bring the proposal to the board?
Her entire agenda has been done mostly behind closed door sessions along with unelected friends and cohorts and one favored developer. There is NO excuse, not one reason that can be given for continuing to govern the Village of Lancaster behind closed doors.
This mayor will take ANY public funds to support her vision of the VOL and with every State and Federal tax dollar grant money for her vision comes a promise to agree to many things that are not in the best interest of the villagers that are forced to accept it no matter what the unintended outcome may be.

The Roundabouts that are still a sore subject because they have become a traffic accident magnet and a very tough maneuver for large delivery trucks and even fire apparatus. These intersection changes were forced when Mayor Ruda took a grant which would launch her Ruda/Sweeney scheme to bring the Left Progressive way of doing business to the village because she knows better than what's good for the VOL than the citizens do. There many more issues that are direct outcomes of the foolish infrastructure changes that were attached to her "free" money financing schemes

None of her schemes would have worked if the CDC, the Planning board, the Historical Society, the Village Board meetings and every other Dept or oversight group was under the scrutiny of a LIVE CAMERA.

I am not saying the Downtown Project shouldn't have or would not have happened had the livestream was been available, I am saying and feel very secure in saying it, Tom Sweeney would not have ended up with so much valuable commercial property within the center of the business district for such a insanely low price. I am saying an open bidding process would have been observed and a concrete contract would have been written and adhered to by all parties

Mayor Ruda was able to accomplish all of her shady dealings behind closed doors and executive scessions with no one watching except all those that were going to profit from it through actual monetary relief or public fame and recognition.

This VOL board gets no pat on the back for finally moving the people village hall into the 21st century They get NO parade down Central Ave for doing the easiest things. Jumping over a 1foot tall fence can be done by young children.Real Represenative with true public service in mind take on the toughest issue to solve first and solve the biggest problems first. The VOL board may want to take a lesson from their TOL counterparts. They are doing it right.

Mr. Schroeder if you get back on that board sir you are more likely to fall back into the place you were before," a go along to get along" kind of guy. Now is not the time for that type of representation of the peoples wishes. Maybe it is time to listen to your supporters and change your approach.

Bring on the live video and let's get the people to state their case. No more hiding. No more special interests. No more friends and political donators favored and put in front of the line. Live camera will show who you really are

[mark blazejewski]

Mark, it took from a late November until a February meeting for the VOL board to even resolve to act let alone sign a contract and give date certain when the up to mondern standards new system would be installed.

It is my belief that the mayor is dragging this issue of no transparency out as long as possible. Why would she not be the one to bring the proposal to the board?

Given what many consider to be a number of publicly-stated contradictions concerning certain VOL issues of late, I am not going to presume anything, GC.

As I see it, at this stage the issue still resides in the world of suggested intent, "what ifs", "maybes," eye winks, and potential head-fakes. What's the saying "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"?

For me to acknowledge VOL livestreaming as existing fact, the board first needs to confirm its "suggested intent" through unambiguous legislative action and then concrete application.

[mark blazejewski]

Bring on the live video and let's get the people to state their case. No more hiding. No more special interests. No more friends and political donators favored and put in front of the line. Live camera will show who you really are

Resolution 574 is only reflective of some progress made since November 27, 2023. It perhaps moves the ball closer to the end zone, but it is not yet in for the six points.

From the November 30, 2023 Lancaster Bee:

In the Village of Lancaster, livestreaming is reported to be right around the bend, according to Village of Lancaster Trustee Tammie Schaefer at Monday’s meeting of the Village Board. The goal is to have a system installed as early as January 2024. Talks of livestreaming had been a topic of the past at former village meetings, a task overseen by former Trustee Tyler Sojka. The process hit unresolved roadblocks at the time concerning how the setup would work and which company to use. Overall, the board is considering using Robert Mark Audio of Cheektowaga. The Town of Lancaster and Village of Depew employed the same company for their systems."

According to the article, it was hoped that livestreaming system would be installed by January, 2024. The "system would be installed" is a curious qualification. Those words did not suggest target a date when livestreaming of those meetings would begin, eh?

Also, in the event that livestreaming does come to fruition, what kind of livestreaming does the VOL Board have in mind?

All public meetings of the Board or, select meetings of the Board?

Will the meetings of the other VOL Boards be included?

Maybe those meetings which may exclusively support a "Lynne Ruda Show," who in the tradition of the great Sara Bernhardt, entertained so many with LIDA appearances?

Cute, clever word salad may be in play here, because this "bend" seems to be a very long one to maneuver.

[mark blazejewski]

Mark, it took from a late November until a February meeting for the VOL board to even resolve to act let alone sign a contract and give date certain when the up to mondern standards new system would be installed.

It is my belief that the mayor is dragging this issue of no transparency out as long as possible. Why would she not be the one to bring the proposal to the board?
Her entire agenda has been done mostly behind closed door sessions along with unelected friends and cohorts and one favored developer. There is NO excuse, not one reason that can be given for continuing to govern the Village of Lancaster behind closed doors.

GC,

In the rather distant past, transparency, responsiveness and ethics were of no real concern. Members of the Village Board of Trustees were our neighbors and friends, and we all watched-out for, and helped each other in our daily existence. When we elected one of them as Mayor or Trustee, they simply transferred that value to their elected position. It worked-out rather well.


Those elected actors went about their business without any overt indications of their partisanship. But, to be totally objective, even then, the Board of Trustees conducted most of its work in secret, and the public board sessions were simple rubber-stamp affairs. Most of the moved legislation was aimed at the daily functions of the village, served the needs of the residents, and generally honored a stable, peaceful village. It is only in more recent years that the board seemingly started to become almost aggressively arrogant, unresponsive, and in many instances, defiant of ethical appearance.

In 2016, one rather principled trustee boldly acknowledged the board's troubling trend and proposed a "Citizens Advisory Board on Ethics Oversight, Transparency, and Government Responsiveness." This is the original outline of the proposed board:

I. Title: Citizens Advisory Board on Ethics Oversight, Transparency, and Government Responsiveness.

The members of this Citizens Advisory Board will be appointed by the Village Board. The make-up, number of members, term of office and other functional details to be determined by the VOL Board

II. Charter on Ethics Complaints

A. Will serve as the initial in-take step of an allegation of an ethics violation.

B. Will determine the validity of the complaint.

C. Will send to the Board a "finding" and recommend Board action.

D. The Board RETAINS all of its authority in terms of acceptance of "finding" and sanction(s).

III. Charter On Review of required Financial Disclosure documents

A. Will review at LEAST on a yearly basis the up-to-date status of such documents.

B. Will give an opinion of possible failures and recommend action/sanction to VOL Board.

IV. Charter on Advisory Opinions prior to potential Ethics Violations

A. Will issue Advisory opinions on contemplated outside activities and business dealings, and all business dealing within the scope of the VOL government, by VOL officials and employees which may constitute a conflict of interest.

B. Serve as the reporting channel for all gifts, or offer of gifts or gratuitous compensation rendered to VOL officials and employees.

C. Will advise on the appropriateness of fundraising solicitation by all VOL officials and employees.

D. Within the scope of all collective negotiations agreement, all officials and employees are required to seek prior consent for items A. and C. herein, and report items specified under B. to the Board immediately.

V. Charter under Public Complaints and Grievances

Residents who consider themselves aggrieved by any VOL official or employee may submit a written complaint to the Board, which will in turn refer the matter to the proper VOL official and advise the VOL Board as whole of the grievance.

That ethics proposal ultimately resulted in two (2) rather weak, so-called "reforms":

The first such reform was the adoption of legislation which apparently required a complaining party to submit any complaints to the village attorney. The village attorney would then study the complaint(s) and decide whether it was worthy of pursuit. If I understood, and still understand, the process correctly, the village attorney would serve as a filter between the complainant, most probably a village resident, and the board, the exact entity which hires its services and compensates the attorney.

Reference:https://www.lancasterbee.com/article...ode-of-ethics/

Anything wrong with that?

This trustee answered it so well:

“But the attorney is appointed by the board, which could create issues of bias. If the village is looking over your shoulder for taxes, for building permits, for inspections, for licenses or so on, who is watching them? I’m proposing a citizen’s advisory board to watch over them.”

The second so-called reform now requires village employees to sign an acknowledgement that they have read the VOL ethics code.


The Lancaster Village Board is making sure its ethics code is understood by those who are governed by it.

The board unanimously approved a resolution at Monday night’s meeting requiring village employees to sign a document acknowledging that they have read and understand the code.
Reference: https://www.lancasterbee.com/article...mate-concerns/

Hmm, does not that reform suggest a requirement that an unethical actor read the ethics code before he would violate it?

Wow, that should discourage an unethical person, eh?

Let me summarize, a 2016 reform process began with a very aggressive proposal which gave citizens a strong role in the area of ethics, but ended with the construction of a further barrier between the residents and their elected government, and with some sort of "sacred" piece of paper, required to be signed by all village employees, acknowledging that it has read the VOL ethics code.

Simply put, of late, especially with what I perceive to be the strong, but indirect, influence of the major political parties on the VOL Board participants, and what seems to be the trending use of the VOL Board to advance the Mayor's and Trustee's unidentified political agendas grows, I think when people begin to serve on the village board, they somehow get distant from their constituents, as well as elitist and arrogant. Perhaps to prevent full exposure, they get self-conscious, and seem to appear to be uncomfortable when the resident attempt to look over their shoulder, what do you think?

That is why I remain skeptical about the adoption of livestreaming within the meaning of maximum transparency. I am starting to loose faith that anyone who is currently under consideration for the vacant Trustee seat, will loudly advocate for it.

Recently, it appears that some things don't change for the better, they only get worse, eh?

(BTW, did the VOL always have an Assistant Village Attorney?)