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Posted February 7, 2024
Posted by Public Relations
Pottawattamie County, Iowa – Thanks to a $100,000 grant, Pottawattamie County has upgraded technology equipment for its Board Hearing Room. The improvements bring changes to the way citizens view live streamed meetings and are expected to lead to improved reliability and efficiency.
The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF), through the US Treasury, awarded Pottawattamie County the funding in 2022-2023. The grant covers all costs of upgrading cameras, presentation displays, and software for the room on the second floor of the courthouse. The Board of Supervisors, Planning & Development Commission, and Zoning Board of Adjustment hold regularly scheduled meetings at the location. Meetings have been live streamed through YouTube, but beginning Tuesday, February 13th will be streamed through Microsoft Teams. Archived video of meetings will continue to be available through the County’s YouTube channel, but the change in strategy means less dependency on external platforms for live broadcasts.
“In the past, we’ve occasionally experienced barriers preventing us from live streaming meetings,” said County Board of Supervisors Chairperson Susan Miller. “Technical difficulties can still occur with our new approach, but moving to Microsoft Teams protects us against the possibility of being impacted by any issue YouTube may be experiencing during our scheduled meetings.”
The adjustment in strategy is also expected to lead to more efficient communication. Previously, the web address to view live meetings online changed each week. Now, each department holding recurring meetings in the room will have a dedicated web address for online users to view meetings while in progress. For example, the web address to view the live stream of the weekly Board of Supervisors meeting will be the same web address week-to-week, allowing viewers the ease of saving it for future use.
“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for our citizens to access information presented on behalf of the County,” said Miller. “Directing people to the same location to view meetings they’re regularly interested in helps simplify that process.”
Additional benefits of the new equipment include an improved process for displaying images and PowerPoint presentations during meetings. By using Microsoft Teams, County personnel can load files ahead of the meeting. Using the same software to broadcast meetings allows the files to be displayed full screen on live streams, as opposed to viewing through a camera pointed in the direction of a display inside the room.
No subscriptions or additional software will be needed to view meetings in the new format. First time users will be asked to provide their name to view live streams, but no other personal information will be required. Telephone conference calls will remain available for those interested in listening to meetings over the phone. To view the live stream of the weekly Board of Supervisors meeting, visit Pr.Pott.Co/BOS-Teams
About Pottawattamie County: The purpose of Pottawattamie County government is to provide the highest quality government possible to the citizens of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and other governmental entities in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. It is also to encourage economic development, enhance our tax base and provide higher quality jobs for our citizens. For more information, visit PottCounty-ia.gov.
