LACY LAKEVIEW, Texas (KXXV) — The City of Lacy Lakeview will start live-streaming their council meetings this month — this is a big deal for many of our neighbors in the city and it’s something residents have been wanting for a long time now.
One neighbor even asking for an update on Facebook just last month saying “where is the live-streaming” with others already in the know and replying “January."
“The citizens really, really asked for this — they wanted live-stream," said City of Lacy Lakeview Councilman, Jonathan Olvera.
He says they previously did a soft run to work out kinks and test out the system but on January 14 — the next city council meeting — residents will be able to live-stream the city’s council meetings for the very first time.
He says this is in efforts to be more transparent, ease crowding in the council chambers during meetings, and keep more neighbors in the know — especially those who can’t make it physically to the meetings like some of the city's aging population.
"Also for them (citizens) to be able to hear the other citizens concerns."
Councilman Olvera says all city officials including city council members and city manager Calvin Hodde will have microphones to talk into during meetings.
There’s two cameras in the room enabling close-up shots and wide shots — allowing basically all angles across the council’s chambers to be viewed.
Councilman Olvera told 25 News' Bobby Poitevint requests for live-streaming really started forming about a year ago in the February, March and April months of 2024 and at that time it was to late to make live-streaming part of the budget but they were able to make it happen when the latest budget was passed in October.
While many residents saw this as a months long delay and questioned the city’s actions behind it — Councilman Olvera said regardless of live-streaming — the door for discussions and the sharing of thoughts and concerns between neighbors and city leaders has always been open.
“We’re here to help — I’m not opposed to meeting anyone to speak and talk about what plans the city has and I’m sure," he said.
"I don’t want speak for everybody on council but I would hope that they feel the same way."
Residents can watch the live-streams on the city’s website for now, but the goal is to move live-streams over a to a city YouTube page where residents can go back and watch council meetings at anytime.
Councilman Olvera says that’s expected in the next month or so.
