Burlington, Vermont- Burlington City Council members were divided over the use of electronics during meetings. It was a proposal by some council members to ban computers, smart phones and all electronics in order to give undivided attention to the public who show up at the meetings to speak.
You see it here a lot. Texting, tweeting whatever they're doing, some call it a distraction
Others, say it's a useful tool. Either way when it comes to the Burlington City Council meetings, there's a divide.
"What we don't want is someone just constantly tweeting throughout the public forum and not listening to the public," said council man Kurt Wright.
Wright is among a few members who want to "ban electronics" during public forums, "I'm very sensitive to the fact of listening to what the public has to say and to make sure the public feels that we are hearing them."
However, Councilman Ed Adrian says using the technology is an extra way to communicate with the public, "Engaging with people in social media is way of expanding the public forum."
Adrian says when he is on his phone during a meeting it's about council issues. He calls the debate a generational divide, "The quicker we embrace it, the quicker we incorporate into our rules and lifestyles."
Wright fears the perception that the public sees the members on their devices and feels they are being ignored, "I think that we have to be very cognizant of the fact that we ought to be showing the public that we are hearing what they are saying."
The city council voted Monday 7-6 against the "electronics ban" during the public forum. Meaning, council members will still be able to use electronics at all times of the meeting.
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