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Waukegan City Council Meeting Not Aired: Is this the Reason? - lindaryckman - 02-20-2009
The December 15th Waukegan City Council meeting was never aired on Channel 17 Public Access Television because of âan apparent programming errorâ by Comcast, according to Vic Walter of Comcast. Because of public interest, Comcast agreed to air the meeting out of order, pending approval by the City of Waukegan and the producer, Mike Hill. Hill gave his approval. According to City Clerk Wayne Motley, when Comcast contacted him to get the Cityâs approval to air the meeting, Motley said that he called the âattorneyâ and the attorney advised that since it was not precedent to air meetings out of order, the City did not have to give its approval, and would not give its approval to air the meeting. Folks canât help wondering, though, if this 6 minutes isnât the real reasonâ¦â¦
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9TbfqKAd4U">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9TbfqKAd4U</a><!-- m -->
Motley Threatens Suit for You Tube Use
NOTE FROM LINDA RYCKMAN: At the February 2nd Waukegan City Council meeting, I told the council that the December 15th meeting never aired, that Motley would not give the Cityâs approval, and asked that the City Council give its approval to air the meeting. Mayor Richard Hyde referred the matter to the Judiciary Committee. On February 18th, I called Motley to see if the Judiciary Committee made a decision regarding airing the December 15th meeting (the council met on February 16th). Motley asked me why I cared, since I had already put part of it on You Tube, and wondered why I didnât just put the whole thing on You Tube. I said if I could have I would have, but it was too long. Motley then said that he had talked to the âattorneyâ (he must have him on speed dial) and the City was considering suing me for copyright infringement for putting the attached six-minute clip on You Tube. I then advised him that there are limitations to the exclusive rights of a copyright owner, and that I did not violate Illinois copyright law. I added that even if my use of the City Council tape could be considered copyright infringement, I had contacted Mayor Hyde prior to copying and showing the DVD, and Mayor Hyde said that I had purchased the DVD of the meeting from the producer and that I could use it any way I wanted to. Motley was obviously surprised and said he would check it out. No action was taken by the Judiciary Committee at the February 16th meeting regarding airing the December 15th meeting, according to Motley.
Personally, I have a problem with Motley threatening to sue me for making even a portion of the unaired December 15th meeting available to the public, and I find it laughable that on Motleyâs Re-Election Website (motleyforclerk.com), he states: âI have attempted to increase the publicâs awareness of municipal government by posting city council agendas and minutes on the internet and by airing the council meetings on cable television.â
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WAYNE MOTLEY WILL BE FACING OFF AGAINST HANK BOGDALA FOR CITY CLERK ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH, IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.
Re: Waukegan City Council Meeting Not Aired: Is this the Reason? - kellyann1293 - 02-20-2009
Linda, you have the right to record the council meetings and air them as you see fit under the Freedom of Information Act.
Maybe it's time private citizens began doing that again at City Council meetings.