In a split vote Thursday night, District 211 board members opted against videotaping its meetings for viewing on the web.

After learning the cost could be more than $90,000 to broadcast meetings on local cable access channels, as well as for live streaming on the district’s website, board member Bill Robertson suggested a simpler, two-camera approach not to exceed $10,000. That recording would then be uploaded to the district website after the meeting.

But, the board voted down the suggestion in a 4-3 vote, with President Bob LeFevre casting the tie-breaking vote. Board members George Brandt, Richard Gerber and Edward Yung also voted against it, while Robertson, Mucia Burke and Anna Klimkowicz were in favor.

Robertson and others said taping meetings would improve transparency and be a convenience to residents.

Before voting against the measure, LeFevre said the concept made him “uncomfortable.”

“Very little of it has to do with the business that we’re in, which is education,” he said.

A few residents who attended Thursday’s board meeting in support of broadcasting meetings shook their heads at LeFevre’s comments.

Others who voted against taping meetings said it was a poor use of public funds, and information discussed at meetings is already available to the public online.

“Every check we write is on the Internet,” Brandt said. “I find no value in using public funds in moving forward with this if it can be done privately.”

Klimkowicz countered that by saying viewing board member discussion is important.

“The words are great,” she said. “But you don’t see the passion or the discussion. That’s an imp0rtant factor of what we do.”

Brandt also pointed out residents could videotape meetings on their own and post them to Youtube.com, which occurred at a meeting earlier this month.

Mark Puchalski, of Schaumburg, said he was disappointed with the board’s decision. He and others have spoken out, asking the board to implement some sort of cost-effective plan to videotape meetings as a way of ensuring transparency.

“This is an example of how they’ll spend thousands of dollars on carpeting, but not this,” he said.