Last week, in a city council information memorandum, City Manager Ryan McCrady, indicated the beginning of the process to upgrade some of the audiovisual equipment in the city council chamber and equipment for broadcasting meetings and other city information on channel 18.
In a down economy, some people might consider spending funds on upgrading audiovisual equipment as something that is not critical to the operation of city government.
However, the funding is part of the agreement that we were insistent on in hammering out a new contract with Comcast a few years ago so it’s not like the money will be coming out of the general fund.
Although it is important to get the city’s vital information (and some not so vital) out to the public, it should not be confused with actual news coverage of the city council or city government.
There are a lot of areas where the city’s communications emphasis can answer questions the public may have on its mind and it’s certainly to the city’s benefit to put out as much information as possible -- especially for those who are skeptical of the city’s operations.
However, there is certainly city government control over the information or “news” that is telecast, because the city is making the decision on what information people will be seeing.
I think what the city is doing has to be regarded as a useful tool in telling the city’s story and informing the public about the city’s projects and programs.
In this week’s “City Hall Insider” in the print edition of the Decatur Tribune, I take an indepth look at the need for “transparency” in government and the city’s history of attempting to make more information available to the public.
I’ll also give you my opinion about “transparency” in the present city council and particularly with City Manager Ryan McCrady.
* * * *
An angry man received a parking ticket and came into the Tribune office to find out where he could pay it. The employee in the front office directed him to a box on the other side of Central Park which was the closest location.
He left and, a little later, he returned. The man was even angrier than he was the first time he was in the office!
I’ve been editor and publisher of this newspaper for decades and I can’t remember a time when there was as much anger and intolerance as during the past several months -- and it seems to be getting worse.
What’s the reason for the seemingly increase in anger and intolerance today? I’ll take a look in my “Viewpoint” column on page 3 of this week’s print edition of the Tribune.
* * * *
The three-part “Scrapbook” series on the “Happy Days” of the 1950s concludes this week in the print edition of the Tribune. The final part is about what happened to some of the members of the Class of 1959 over the past 50 years. We’ll also look at what happened to Perry’s, Elam’s the Ram’s Head and other places that were popular teenage hangouts in the “fabulous fifties”. The final part of the “Happy Days” article is on pages 4 and 5 of “Scrapbook”.
* * * *
Decatur Tribune Sports Editor J. Thomas McNamara has a preview of the weekend’s action involving area teams still involved in the IHSA state football playoffs, and some comments on a St. Teresa team that made school history in another sport. That’s on page 12.
* * * *
The front page of this week’s print edition of the Tribune is in PDF form which you can access by clicking the Tribune icon at the upper left of this page.
• • •
I’ve written about only a few of the many stories that are in today’s print edition of the Decatur Tribune. It should be on the newsstands by 1:00 this afternoon (Wednesday).
You can also buy a copy at the Decatur Tribune office at 240 North Park Street, or receive the Trib by mail each week for $35.00 per year. Send you check or money order to: Decatur Tribune, P. O. Box 1490, Decatur, Illinois 62525, and join the thousands of people who subscribe by the year. They live in Decatur and virtually every state.
For convenience in subscribing, there’s one of our subscription forms in PDF form which is accessible by clicking the Decatur Tribune icon at the upper left on this page. Print it out, fill out the coupon at the bottom and send with your check or money order for $35.00 and we’ll get your Tribune started immediately.
• • •
Don’t forget to join me for the one hour live audio version of the City Hall Insider on Byers & Co. at 7:00 a.m. Thursday mornings over 1340 NEWS/TALK WSOY. I always enjoy discussing the city’s issues with Brian.
