City Council Insiders Speak Without Notice

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The February 6th edition of the Janesville Gazette carried an article titled, "Hold the Phone" dealing with the use of cellular phone and text messaging technology during city council meetings. After noticing some council members fidgeting with their portable electronics during official meetings, Janesville City Council President Bill Truman made this request:

City Website Excerpt:
The use of audible cell phone ringers and active use and response to cellular phone technology by the governing body, staff and members of the public is discouraged in the Council Chambers while the Council is in session.

Apparently, that is not enough. Despite the admonishment, Council Member Tom McDonald said that probably won't stop him from using his PDA - personal digital assistant - during meetings and he doesn't have a problem with residents contacting council members during meetings.

Currently, Janesville residents have to give their name and address before they can speak at the podium to the Janesville city council, so why should anyone be able to weigh in unannounced and unidentified during a council meeting with a text message to a single council member?

...It'd be interesting to find out whether those text messages opened and read by city council members during official city meetings are subject to the open records law. -- Anonymous

Note: The Gazette article on city council texting was not published on the open Web, it'd also be interesting to find out why.