Water District will record Board meetings

Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) will begin audio recording Board Meetings beginning in April. The Board of Directors voted last week to adopt the policy to record meetings, where the files will be available and how long EMWD will keep the files. The recordings are to ensure the public has access to its meetings.

“In our 66-year history, we have only recently had a member of the public express interest in having our agency record our Board Meetings for archival purposes,” EMWD President Randy Record said in a statement. “After reviewing this matter, we believe that the policy adopted today meets the transparency needs of both the public and our organization.
“EMWD has always been committed to transparency and we will continue to be. This action ensures we are using technology to meet the changing needs of our customers in a cost-effective manner.”

State law does not require public meetings be recorded, just that an accurate minutes of those meetings are prepared and available for the public.

EMWD established a two-year retention period for the recorded files. The audio recording also will be placed on EMWD’s website.