205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 01/31/2017 - A variety of County meetings are being live-streamed online. Viewers can also watch the meetings anytime from recordings. Kittitas County recently purchased equipment and software to begin live streaming public meetings in an effort to improve public access and information. The service is being provided through AVCapture.
This new service is the result of extensive research by the County. “We looked at several options,” stated Commissioner Obie O’Brien. “This was by far one of the best values we could find. We believe it’s a good service for County taxpayers.” Total cost to implement the recording system was $13,256, and included the equipment and software. There is also an annual financial obligation of $5,934 for software maintenance and data storage that will have to be budgeted. The research by the County into different types of services also included available features. “We wanted to make sure we were providing a product that would add value for the public,” added Commissioner Laura Osiadacz. “It’s important to improve access and information to all parts of the County, especially when we know that not everyone lives in Ellensburg and not everyone has the time to attend the meetings.” Video recordings of the meetings are available from the Commissioners’ agenda, minutes, and video webpage. The County will record and live stream the following public meetings every month: Commissioners’ Agenda Session, Public Hearings, Planning Commission, Hearings Examiner, Public Works and Community Development Services Study Sessions, Board of Health and Budget meetings. Other meetings may also be live-streamed and recorded at the request of the Board. “Our intent is simply to continuously improve access to, and the transparency of County government with this service,” stated Commissioner Paul Jewell. “Scheduling all meetings in the evenings just isn’t a practical solution and few people have the time to regularly attend regardless. We believe this new system will create greater access to local government for county citizens and make it easier for taxpayers to get the information they need.” The website of the county’s live stream and recorded video is http://www.avcaptureall.com/Media/KittitasCountyWA.aspx. The Board’s agenda, minutes, and recordings are linked on the County’s public website at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us/boc/agenda.aspx.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Board of County Commissioners509-962-7508