No Video Cameras of Council Meetings, But At Least They Can Now Track You As You Vote. Awesome!

On April 17, 2007, HV.com wrote, "While as a free country we can't protect every corner, we the people of Vienna need to examine if some of our public facilities (schools, Town Hall, Community Center, Library, etc.) have precautions in place to deal with the unexpected. Do we have cameras in place?"

Now that the town is upgrading their cameras, you suddenly oppose the idea. This is why your blog is worthless. Mindless opposition to everything the town say or does accomplishes nothing.

The point is not to criticize security cameras, the point is to show the hypocrisy. Of course you KNOW that, but you hope people are dumb enough to not get the hypocrisy. Do you think the readers here didn't just notice that you conveniently left out the parts about the Council banning video or not taping themselves?

Will Rhoda Stevens have a special camera on her when she's working the polls again next spring?!

If you think security cameras are good, why did you say "at least they can now track US with $50,000 dollars of security cameras when we go vote"??? Is it because "you hope people are dumb enough to not get the hypocrisy"??? Both your motives and methods stink.

Oh, hi vienna mommy. Me too!

If you think security cameras are good, why did you say "at least they can now track US with $50,000 dollars of security cameras when we go vote"??? Is it because "you hope people are dumb enough to not get the hypocrisy"??? Both your motives and methods stink.

This comment makes no sense. The idea is to use satire to point how silly the Town of Vienna's policies are when it comes to the idea of "cameras". We can spend $50,000 to film every nook of the Community Center, but we can't buy a $500 camera from Circuity City to film public Council meetings? Go figure. Don't like the motives and methods of pointing out manipulative political leaders? Tough.

Why won't the Council permit video of the proceedings?

Is the reason technical or procedural or both?

Careful flip, you're touching a nerve with this subject. As I found out...

Do you think it is funny that Gomer and Goober tried to ban the taping of public meetings? Do you find it funny that Vienna is the only locality around that doesn't tape? Who else except a Town Council member, their family or friends would write something so asinine?

Posted by: Historic Vienna | July 6, 2007 10:43 AM

This is slightly off topic (cameras vs cable) but the reason cited for not having a cable station (and airing town council meetings) was because it would cost something like 1M per year (as stated by Maud at the NARFE debate).

Of course, that figure is way high, but it's the official stance - we just can't afford it.

Good question.

They permitted the videotaping of meetings only after their attorney said they could not ban them. Their intent would be to ban. That's the mindset with this crew when it comes to public information. In their minds, it's not really public information. It's all very personal to them - like its their club.

Beyond permitting, is the issue of why they themselves have not elected to video their own meetings as every other jurisdiction does. Cox Cable actually provides Vienna a channel, but Vienna TC has elected to not use it for some 20 years plus. Why?

The Vienna government is archaic when it comes to information. Ask to see a list of building permits applied for by a builder and the only way the Town can fulfill the request is to go through file cabinets. In 2007 when Vienna receives a building permit, no computer is touched. It's kept on "paper" and filed in an unsearchable index, that is unless you want to go through every file. EVERYTHING in Vienna Town Hall is like this. So when it comes to public records or the recording of current meetings, Vienna government has learned through great experience, decades, that controlling the information also allows them to control the government. Look at the loosey goosey election process - that's par for the course in Vienna.

Also, no video cameras equals the ability to "hide". Go watch a Council meeting in person. You truly can't believe Maud and Jane run the show. It's unreal. So give them credit, no video equals self-protection. If they were on TV, their careers as Council {...]s would be considerably shorter.

I think Rhoda Stevens should have a SNL Global Sat Uplink....Only way to keep her honest!

I would think that cameras in polling places is illegal. If so, cameras in the Vienna Community Center should be turned off on election day.

I think I'll aim one of my webcams at Maud's back yard.

From VA SBE website:

No person may intimidate, threaten or coerce any other person: for registering or voting; for urging or aiding persons in registering or voting; for purposes of interfering or influencing how a person chooses to vote or not vote; or for purposes of preventing a person from voting.

Do 21 cameras aimed at all voters and controlled by the powers that be violate this State law?

Who cares about cameras in the polling place? I don't. However, I am in favor of always having no cameras in the TOV government meetings. This is a small town, and with it, a small town feel. To use cameras in the meetings would destroy our small town feel, and I am against that. Besides, if they did that, we wouldn't be able to get away with all the stuff we are able to hide from the town citizens.