They said no. Good for them!
No, I'm not talking about the Selectmen's decision to not allow the Firemen apply for a grant for the exercise equipment (although I do agree with the decision). Sometimes, you just find out the darndest things after one of Gilford's meetings (in this case, the organizational meeting for the Budget Committee and an informal discussion with Debra Shackett, the Assistant Town Administrator).
As during the end of the budget season last year, the campaign and election season just completed, discussion swirled around the topic of civility and free speech – what was allowable, or reasonable, or not. While the debate will continue, many agreed that limiting speech is not the answer – MORE speech is. I concur – the more, the better! And if more ways to distribute that speech, better still.
Yet, few were there to personally witness this give and take. In fact, other than other Gilford officials and the press, I only saw one person from “the public” in attendance. For a Committee that generated so much controversy last year, I was rather surprised. I had expected to see many more come to the meeting to see for themselves how members comported themselves.
We have the local press (which pretty much do a stand up job in reporting on all sides of the issues). And, obviously, GilfordGrok. Add to that, Dale Dormody will be launching a new site to report on the goings on in town. Also discussed was Doug Lambert's and my offer to live stream the audio from Budget Committee via GilfordGrok so that those that could not (or chose not to) attend the meetings in person could listen over the Internet (yet to be approved).
When it comes down to it, the more ways that news and opinions can be distributed, the better! Never one to accept what only one news or commentary outlet tells me, I try to sample as many sources to figure out what is flash and what is real. While it takes more time, it is time well spent, as one can only be more well informed as a result.
However, back to the original point. I started by commenting about a little known decision by the Town's Administration - to not give up our cable channel. Huh? Gilford has a cable channel? Yes siree Bob, we do! The operative phrase is “spank 'em when they're wrong, and thank 'em when they're right”. In this case, two big thumbs up for the Town Administration on this decision!
No, our channel is not being used, and no, you cannot find it on your Metrocast set top box – yet. One of the reasons that you do not see Gilford activities on the cable system is that we do not posses the broadcast equipment to do so. According to Ms. Shackett, other towns are broadcasting events, but they obtained their equipment by trading something in return back to Metrocast – their channel. A mighty valuable commodity called bandwidth to a cable company (more channels means more potential profit). And with the forfeiture of that channel, they have lost, perhaps for good, a direct outlet that could be used for their town and by their citizens. Now those Towns have to rely on the Public Access Channel scheduling. For example, if Gilford had that equipment last year, much of the buzz and accusations that Gilford read and talked about the BC might have never happened – from the comfort of their living rooms, Gilfordites could have watched the proceedings and made up their own minds. Not then, and not right now, but the potential is there.
Now, for some of you, this is nothing but a yawner. For others, this may be setting off fireworks inh your heads with ideas of what might be possible. When the time is right and when all of the funds have been obtained, our channel will be there for those ideas to come to fruition.
You have heard Evans Juris stating that we still need more money still to purchase the equipment. I urge you all to donate to get the “Gilford Channel” up and running.
Personally, I see this as another way for the citizens of Gilford to truly see what happens at meetings that affect your lives and those of your families. For if you cannot get to the meeting in person, you'll be able to attend, not with a click of a mouse, but with a click on the remote. Join the fun, and see what really goes on.
And if you are thinking such, the answer is no. I have a face for blogs, columns, and radio.....and that's enough for me (and probably you too!).
