Lake Worth makes it easier to view commission action

Televisions, website improvements provide better access.

LAKE WORTH — If you’ve been to a Lake Worth City Commission meeting lately at City Hall, you probably noticed the chambers look like a sports bar as four, 60-inch Samsung flat screens now hang overhead.

There’s another TV — a 32-inch — in the hallway for the overflow crowd and another 60-inch in the conference room for city officials.

No one, however, is watching the Marlins or the Heat.

The flat screens are part of an ambitious project Lake Worth planned in the fall to make meetings accessible to more residents.

“The idea was to make everything more transparent and allow more people to be involved in City Commission meetings,” Ben Kerr, a city spokesman, said. “Our citizens are very active and engaged, but not all of them can make it out to City Hall.” The project goes beyond TVs. Me e t i n g s we r e p r e v i o u s l y r e c o rd e d o n a we b c a m a n d streamed on the city’s website. The problem with that, Kerr said, was that viewers could only watch in a Windows browser.

So the city tapped PrimeStar Digital Network, a live television production and streaming service provider, to upgrade the system.

The company, based in Lake Worth, installed four cameras and improved the audio equipment. The city also changed the website player it uses to stream meetings, Kerr said, noting it’s the same one used by Netflix and Amazon Prime.

“You can watch the meetings on your phone and its adapt- able,” Kerr said. “If you’re watching on your phone inside Publix, (the player) will give you what you need.”

The player is also now prominently displayed on the website, where before it was more difficult to find. Residents have noticed. “I think it’s wonderful,” said Maryann Polizzi, a consultant fundraiser who ran for the District 4 seat won by Herman Robinson. “The audience can see better, but I’m not sure why they needed all those TVs. The audio could be much better because it’s still hard to hear.”

Richard Guercio, a business consultant who regularly attends commission meetings, watched part of Tuesday’s special work session on his iPhone.

“I was able to cleanly and clearly watch it … so the cameras and