Saddle Hills County (photo by Shaun Penner)

By Liam Verster

Restricting Recording Bylaw

Saddle Hills explores bylaw that adds requirements for recording council meetings

Nov 13, 2020 | 4:08 PM

Saddle Hills County Council has passed the first and second readings of a new bylaw that would add requirements for those who wish to record either audio or video during Council meetings.

Bylaw 388-2020, which passed both readings on Tuesday with votes of six for and one against, would require that anyone who wishes to record the meetings, whether it be audio or video recordings, must be granted permission by Council first.

Reeve of Saddle Hills County Alvin Hubbert says this is intended be an added security measure.

“We believe that if we allow these kind of [recordings], then there’s no guarantee that they may not be altered or disseminated, and we think it’s important to protect our staff and protect the integrity of the county.”

There have been concerns that this will make Council less transparent, but Hubbert points to the fact that all Council meeting schedule is posted online, as are the agendas and the minutes, and all meetings are open to the public.

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“I believe that anyone who is interested in knowing what’s going on could come to a Council meeting and talk to the councillors or to administration. Any concerns that anybody has, they have many avenues to take care of them.”

Unlike the City or County of Grande Prairie Councils, Saddle Hills does not offer live streaming of their meetings, and Hubbert says at this point of time there’s no plan to start doing so.

The third reading of the bylaw will be held at the next Council meeting, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, November 24.