Granite Shoals shines light on decision making with online offerings
A screenshot of the Granite Shoals website shows a new category that was added on April 23, which includes the first-ever publicly available recording of a City Council meeting.
Granite Shoals is putting recordings of City Council meetings online, sharing monthly city updates, and kicking off an online video series that introduces public servants to the community, all steps toward government transparency.
The first council meeting to be posted online—from April 23—is on the city’s website and YouTube channel.
Previously, residents could only watch meetings in real time, either in person or virtually via the Zoom app.
“(City Secretary Dawn Wright) has been working on (making meeting video recordings available online) for quite some time, preceding me arriving in the interim city manager role,” interim City Manager Sarah Novo told DailyTrib.com. “Now, we can ensure that every member of the public is able to engage and see the decision-making process (of the council).”
Granite Shoals is one of the few local governments in the Highland Lakes to livestream its meetings. The Meadowlakes City Council and Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees also do so.
“With the implementation of these efforts, the goal is to meet people where they are and build a connection between the city’s leadership and the people we serve,” Novo continued.
Making meeting recordings available to the public also serves a practical purpose, according to Mayor Pro-tem Steve Hougen. He said the city secretary has had to create individual recordings in the past to fulfill public information requests.
“(These meetings) are now available with the click of a button,” Hougen said. “The City Council and the (city) administration want to work together as a team, but the team isn’t just the councilors and administration, it’s also the citizens of the community.”
Granite Shoals has gone back and forth in discussions on meeting transparency since COVID-19 requirements for streaming government meetings in Texas were lifted in September 2021. Residents, the council, and city administration often argued about whether to continue streaming live meetings. The issue was resolved in November 2023 when the council decided to continue to do so via Zoom.
Novo said she understood she was stepping into turbulent times when she took the job in February after former City Manager Peggy Smith resigned amid controversy.
“Really, the best way to overcome that is to build trust, develop an open relationship, and be honest about what is going on in the city,” Novo said.
She made her first city manager report, the one for April, available online. It includes updates on the work of city committees, the announcement of a future heritage tree proclamation and photo contest, a small community events calendar, and the city’s future goals. She will post reports monthly, she told DailyTrib.com.
Granite Shoals also rolled out a new video series, “Council Connections,” that features public servants. The first video introduces Brian Edwards, a relatively new council member. A new video will go up every Wednesday, according to a social media post from the city. Novo said it could eventually evolve to include interviews with officials about hot topics and points of interest.
Hougen expressed optimism about the current state of Granite Shoals, its leadership, and its future.
“I think we have a really good team, and we’re right at a threshold for (positive change),” he said.