GRANT COUNTY — Starting July 1, all of Indiana’s governing bodies must have their public meetings streamed live, recorded and archived for at least 90 days.
Indiana Code 5-14-1.5 – known as Indiana’s “Open Door Law” – requires live transmissions of the governing body’s meetings and archived copies of the live transmissions with access links to the meeting’s agenda, minutes, and memoranda, if any are used.
The goal is to increase transparency within governing bodies. Governing bodies include school boards, state agencies, counties, cities, towns, townships and libraries and any other board or committee that is subject to Indiana’s Open Door Law.
The Town of Matthews typically has two or three people show up to their town council meetings, said clerk treasurer Connie Cobb.
“Our hope is that more people will engage in what’s going on with town,” she said. “And if they (residents) have questions, contact us.”
Cobb said people don’t typically come unless they have something they want to address with the council.
Yet, if residents join the streaming or come to meetings, they will be informed.
Ultimately: “That’s going to depend on how much people want to be involved – it is a small town,” she said.
Matthews wants to comply and do the best they can. The challenge is that for these smaller towns, streaming meetings over the internet is new, and they’re having to navigate uncharted territory, Cobb said.
“I just think that people will need to be patient with the process,” Cobb said. “Because the bigger towns have been doing this for a long time – so this is not a big deal to them. But when you get into small towns and you get into budget situations and staffing situations and internet situations, people are just gonna need to try to be patient.”
Cobb said the mechanics of streaming includes: what equipment fits into the budget; how to improve the internet connection; and who will oversee the streaming while meetings transpire.
Small towns typically have a shoe-string budget. Cobb said trying to find the money for everything needed – if you’re going to do it professionally – is a challenge as well.
Grant County
The Highway and Drainage Departments, Board of Finance, Health Board, Public Safety and Commissioners meetings minutes are also posted on the Grant County, Ind. website: https://www.in.gov/ counties/grant/
Marion
The Eastbrook Community Schools’ Board of Trustees meets in Marion.
“Eastbrook School Board Meetings will be lived streamed starting July 1, 2025,” according to the website. “A post will be scheduled to go live on this page at 5:55 pm for each board meeting. The post will contain information on how to join the meeting.
”Converse
Converse Town Council meetings happen every second Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are not live streamed yet.
The Oak Hill United School Corporation is working on live streaming their meetings. The school board meets on the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Minutes can be accessed on the Oak Hill United School Corporation website, https://www. ohusc.k12.in.us/page/school-board
“Our technology director has ordered the equipment we need and has a plan for the recording and videoing of the live meetings,” said Sheri Hardman, superintendent of Oak Hill. “We will have that up and going at our July meeting.”
Gas City
Gas City public meetings are not yet streamed. Software is being installed to stream meetings in time for June 1.
Swayzee
The Town of Swayzee does not yet stream live recordings of town council meetings. The council minutes are posted on the Town of Swayzee website, https://www.swayzee.org/ agendas-minutes.html. They meet at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month.
Matthews
Council meetings are not yet streamed. Meetings occur the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m.
Van Buren
Council meetings are not yet streamed. The meetings occur on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Minutes are posted on the Van Buren website, https://vanburenindiana.org/minutes/
Upland
Jonesboro
Sweetser
Fairmount
Council meetings occur every month on the second and fourth Monday at 6 p.m. Meetings are posted on their Facebook page by searching “Town of Fairmount”.
Contact your local government agency for more information about meeting times, locations and live streams.