Zoom to Board Meetings… No Excuses!
You’ve been meaning to get to a Selectboard meeting, right? Or attend the next Planning Commission hearing? Good news! Now you have no excuses. ALL of Bethel’s board and commission meetings are now held via Zoom, and are completely open to the public. You can call in by phone or join via the link on a computer or mobile device.
What’s that? Do we hear a few lingering excuses? No prob. Scroll down and we’ll banish those too.
“What’s this Zoom thing? How do I use it?”
Zoom is a video and photo conferencing platform. Basically, it lets anyone connect to a “meeting room” from wherever they are to talk, meet, and plan. You can call in using a regular phone number (audio only). Or you can click a link and join the online session from a computer, tablet, or phone. You will be able to see others’ faces and screens, but you choose whether they see yours. Zoom has great tutorials for beginners.
“Sorry, ironing my socks then.”
Totally. We all need to be protective of our sock ironing time. You can iron your socks while you watch a meeting…no judgement! (Or turn off video if you’d rather iron in private.) If that truly won’t work for you, you can still read the minutes after, or watch Selectboard meeting recordings thanks to ORCA media.
“Um, why on earth would I want to go to a board meeting?”
Thanks for asking!
Tax dollars. As in yours. Town leaders decide how to spend them, where to spend them, and how many of them to spend at meetings.
Potholes. Town leaders decide when to fix them, where to fix them, and whether to fix them at board meetings too.
Updates. Board meetings are the place to find out what’s happening in town and ask questions.
Gripes. They’re also the place to raise concerns and share your opinions about what’s happening in town. (We know, it’s fun to do that on Facebook. But you won’t get as many snarky comments back at board meetings.)
Bethel Cribs. So maybe you don’t care about taxes, potholes, or being aware of what’s happening. Who doesn’t want a private glimpse of your Selectboard members’ living rooms?
“I can’t get this darned Zoom thing to work.”
Yep, it can be confusing at first. Would you like someone to walk you through it or help troubleshoot? Fill out an aid request and we’ll find a cheerful volunteer to help set you up or coach you through it (remotely).
“I have no idea when the meetings are.”
Agendas and schedules are posted on the Town of Bethel website way ahead of time (it’s actually the law). Plus they’re posted in hard copy at the Town Office, library, and other bulletin boards in town.
“No internet. No cell. No zoom. No device.”
We feel your pain. If you’re committed, there are several free wi-fi hotspots in town where you can go and get online. Park your car and sit for a bit… it’s totally not creepy, we promise. Connect at the Bethel Public Library, or connect to the Town of Bethel’s free wifi network anywhere on Main Street. If you’re not that committed, see above for ways to watch later or read the minutes.
More good news! Several local internet companies are offering free connections right now for lower income individuals. Check out deals with EC Fiber and Comcast, among others. No EC Fiber? That may change for you this year — much of Bethel is slated to go online soon.
No device? If you don’t have a smartphone, tablet or computer and can’t afford one, make a request. We can try to arrange for a donated device.
“But I’ve never been to a board meeting before!”
Hooray! Now’s your chance!
More excuses?
Leave a comment and tell us what’s holding you back. We’ll try to banish those excuses too.
