Why did the Macon Water Authority stop live streaming meetings?
Macon, Ga. (WGXA) — The Macon Water Authority only meets once a month but have recently made the switch to stop live streaming their meetings.
In fact, Gary Bechtel, the MWA’s chairman, told WGXA they haven’t livestreamed a meeting in two months.
“The emergency mandate that put [virtual meetings] in place by the Governor during COVID has expired,” Bechtel said, citing the public health emergency by Brian Kemp that ended back in July 2021.
GEORGIA GOVERNMENT | Jon Ossoff speaks out after Trump cuts fund that aid the foster care system
Along with the MWA, Macon Transit — as well as Planning and Zoning — do not or no longer stream meetings.
The Macon-Bibb County Commission still does.
The MWA still posts videos of the meeting — just after they’re finished.
Videos from April’s board meeting were not uploaded onto the Water Authority’s Facebook page until April 7th.
Part 2 was uploaded the next day — five days after the meeting occurred.
With an early afternoon start time, many citizens are left in the dark on something as important as their water.
District 1 board member Elaine Lucas said she isn’t thrilled about these changes.
“People need to be concerned about these things,” Lucas told WGXA Thursday. “They need to flood the Macon Water Authority with requests for us to come into the year 2025.”
Bechtel said the MWA passed on the chance to modernize their equipment, despite feedback from the public that meetings were not as loud as they needed to be on social media.
“Rather than purchasing the money to put microphones in that were live, I’ve consulted with Mr. [Ron] Shipman (MWA CEO), Mr. [Jay] Strickland (MWA counsel) if we could end that and we did.”
WGXA also asked the chairman what his plans were to release video files to citizens; he responded with “I don’t know.”
DID YOU SEE? | Back-to-back shootings at Lakeview Apartments leave multiple injured, two in custody
Members of the public kept their phones out to live stream Thursday’s meeting.
Lucas is calling for her fellow board members to set an example.
“They’re making the law as they go along,” Lucas said. “And that is unacceptable.”
And citizen complaints are slowly coming to the surface.
Two weeks ago, Julia Callahan, a Macon woman, started a Change.org petition listing things she feels the MWA should change.
A second monthly board meeting, eliminating water rate increases, and launching an “internal investigation into possible racism occurring during board meetings” against Mrs. Lucas and District 2 board member Desmond Brown.
Callahan is also pushing for a grand jury investigation into the authority’s financial state.
“Worries have been surfacing about the reasons behind the constant unreasonable rate increases, and this investigation could potentially shed light on these concerns,” Callahan said in the petition. “What we demand is fair rates, accountable leadership, and better management.”
Bechtel said he was unaware about the petition.
It’s received over 130 supporters, including signers after Thursday’s meeting.
“They want to see more for the money that they pay,” Lucas said.
The chairman doesn’t see the need and says they’ve already dealt with business for this year.
“I’ve got an email from our auditor that indicates that it was a clean audit,” Bechtel said.