Why One Michigan Resident Started Recording Every Meeting

Renee Curtis says recording local government meetings has helped residents stay informed and may encourage officials to begin broadcasting sessions themselves.

HADLEY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — What began as one resident’s effort to learn more about local government has evolved into a growing push for greater public access to township meetings.

Renee Curtis said she started attending Hadley Township meetings regularly after the 2024 election cycle. Her goal was simple: better understand how local government works and how decisions affecting taxpayers are made.

“I’ll start going to my township meetings, I’ll start local, I’ll learn the ropes, I’ll ask questions, I’ll observe, and I’ll see how it runs,” Curtis said.

As she became more involved, Curtis noticed that many residents were unable to attend meetings because of work schedules, family responsibilities or other commitments. She decided to begin livestreaming and recording public meetings, posting them online through a YouTube channel called “Hadley Michigan Open Meetings.”

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The recordings are unedited and include no commentary, allowing viewers to watch proceedings for themselves.

“I started a YouTube with nothing but the meetings, no commentary,” Curtis said.

Curtis said the response from residents has been positive, with many expressing appreciation for having easier access to local government discussions and decisions.

She said the recordings provide an opportunity for residents to see discussions that may not always be fully reflected in written meeting minutes. The videos also create a public archive that residents can reference later.

Curtis believes recorded meetings can improve transparency and help build trust between elected officials and the communities they serve.

“Not everybody can come,” Curtis said. “I have a special-needs child. I love being able to sit here because the meeting minutes, not everything is in there.”

The effort may already be having an impact. Curtis said township officials have discussed obtaining equipment that could allow the township to record meetings directly in the future.

Across Michigan, many local governments livestream or record public meetings, while others continue to rely primarily on in-person attendance and written minutes. Advances in technology have made recording meetings significantly less expensive and easier to implement than in years past.

Curtis said she hopes more residents across Michigan become involved in local government and pay attention to decisions being made in their communities.

“If they can record the public meetings, there’s no reason why any township or any community in this United States should not be able to do it,” she said.

Curtis said her experience shows that even a single resident can play a role in increasing public engagement and encouraging greater access to government proceedings.