Council’s tape rules puzzle Lynners

LYNN – On the heels of the City Council’s decision to televise its meetings, some residents are flipping their own kill switch in response to the council’s decision to censor its meetings.A list of 39 imposed stipulations, including a one-time re-broadcast of the meeting, cost prohibitive measures against Lynn CAM, and the demand that all angles of City Councilors be shot in an aesthetically pleasing manner, have puzzled some residents. (Visit www.itemlive.com for a complete list of the stipulations.)Click Here for a complete listof the stipulationsShocked by the long list of rules, Lynn resident Bill Sullivan questioned what the City Councilors are trying to hide from the public, and why they are trying to make a simple idea complicated.”They shouldn’t water the meeting down,” he said. “What do they think that we can’t handle? It isn’t a sitcom.”In regard to the specific, one- time re-airing of the meeting between the hours of 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sullivan said he would prefer it be shown at a more reasonable time.”If you’re going to run it, put it on in the evening, say 7 p.m., when everyone is at home, or over the weekend,” he said. “I think it’s a great idea that they’re going to tape the meetings, but it should be on more than once.”Smiling through her frustration, Atlantic Avenue resident Nicole Ahern said it always seems as if there is a “catch” when it comes to matters of the public with the City Council.”I think if they really want the public to see it, then they should show it at a time when people can watch it,” she said. “To only show it one time between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. is tricky. It sounds sketchy.”Of the 39 stipulations, four claim that the City Council can terminate future broadcasts if Lynn CAM doesn’t play by their rules.While Ward 3 City Councilor Darren Cyr devised the final set of rules with the help of other councilors, several of the guidelines were lifted from a previous version drafted by Councilors at Large Judith Flanagan Kennedy and Paul Crowley.However, regardless of who drafted what, Catherine Iannitelli of Lynn said since the meetings are public, they should be aired in their entirety, with anything and everything included in the mix.”I would think that they would want the public to know exactly what is going on at the meetings, so I find that odd that they would cut parts of it out,” she said.Agreeing with Iannitelli, Gary Labossiere of Lynn said he would also like to see the true happenings at meetings, instead of a toned down, filtered version.”It doesn’t seem like it would be fair to tape it at all then,” he said. “I think they should let whoever say whatever. I find it really interesting that they wouldn’t do that.”When asked what residents of the city would like to see aired on Ch. 16, which is supposed to be used strictly for city government, the answers ranged from discussions regarding crime with Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr., to showcasing the farmer’s market and one-on-one discussions with City Councilors.