AGAWAM — At its Sept. 16 meeting, the City Council voted 7-3 to record, televise and post video of subcommittee meetings on the city’s website.
Councilor Robert Rossi said subcommittee meetings were intended to be a non-formal, quorum-not-required advisory board to the council. The council has gotten away from that, he said, by making them public, increasing the number of members from three to five and creating workshops. Councilor Edward Borgatti agreed, saying the meetings — which generally take place immediately prior to full-council meetings — have become something like a second City Council meeting. All the debate happens in the subcommittees, he said, so councilors look like they have no questions in the main meeting.
Borgatti opposed recording the meetings on the grounds that it would confuse the public to have to watch two meetings to get their questions answered. People will also see just the four or five members of that particular subcommittee, and may wonder where the rest of the councilors are, he said.
“It’s not going to be as user-friendly as it would be to just get the recommendation from the subcommittee meeting, and then have our discussions here on the floor,” he said.
Councilor George Bitzas said there were more important matters in town than recording subcommittee meetings. While he agreed with Rossi and Borgatti, he also said the town should try it for some time.
Borgatti also said that, since subcommittee meetings are not currently televised, councilors speak more freely in them.
“If you know you’re being filmed, I think you’re going to be a little more grandstanding,” he said.
Rossi agreed, saying that in the old days, subcommittee meetings were for free and open discussion, where members spoke their piece, gave opinions, then came up with a consensus as to what would be best for the community, which they recommended to the council. Today, he said, they’re more individualized.
He also responded to an argument that recording the meetings would lead to more transparency and accountability, saying that accountability happens when subcommittee chairs give a summary of their discussions to the council.
“That’s the public scrutiny right there, is when the chairman of that committee gets up there and gives his recommendation,” he said.
Bitzas responded, “Transparency is transparency, no matter if it’s here or in subcommittee. What do we have to hide? If it’s televised, if it’s live, if it’s a tape, I have no problem.”
In the final vote, councilors Borgatti, Rossi and Gerald Smith voted “no.” Councilor Anthony Suffriti was absent.
Solicitor law passes
In other business, councilors also approved the second reading of an ordinance regulating solicitors. As approved, the ordinance will require solicitors to respect “no soliciting” signs and restrict activities to after 8:30 a.m. and before 7:30 p.m. The police will enforce these rules and issue fines as necessary. Solicitors will also have to apply for a license from the police chief at least 15 days before they intend to start soliciting. The police chief would then conduct a background check, and could deny the license.
