The Baxter City Council is exploring new ways the council can conduct its meetings.

Council members debated recently if they want to live stream meetings over YouTube, or if they want to participate in a hybrid format that would be half in-person and half virtual. According to the council, if they go with the first option it would cost $2,500. If they go with the second option, it could cost between $25,000 to $40,000 with technology upgrades.

“A simple camera, just streaming to YouTube, that’s very minimal staffing but very minimal time required,” said Todd DeBoer, Baxter Information Technology Director. “Cameras cutting from one thing to the other, that’s definitely going to require potentially some more staff time.”

“What we can do with technology, we should to allow citizens to participate as best as they can,” said council member John Ward. “The price tag is always scary and the future is always scary because tomorrow is gonna be different.”

The council decided they will revisit the matter when they have exact numbers on what it would cost the city.

By — Lakeland News