Filming New Baltimore's Town Hall: What We Did and What Comes Next

On October 15, the City of New Baltimore held a Town Hall at Lighthouse Elementary to walk residents through two questions on the November 3 ballot: the fire department millage and the proposed new City Hall and administrative building.

We filmed it, start to finish, and turned it into a full-length video and a set of highlight clips. We did it at no charge to the City. It's the largest pro bono project I've taken on, and I want to explain why I said yes and what it involved.

Why We Did It

A Town Hall only reaches the people who can make it to a school on a weeknight. That leaves out a lot of residents — people working evenings, parents with kids at practice, anyone who simply couldn't get there.

With the vote coming up fast, getting the information to those residents quickly mattered. People deserve to understand what's on the ballot and what it means for the city before they decide, and video is the most direct way to put the actual meeting in front of them.

I'm a firm believer in this community. This was a way to contribute something I'm actually equipped to do.

Recording a public meeting extends it to residents who couldn't attend. For a ballot question with a near deadline, timely video coverage lets more voters hear the actual presentation and questions rather than a secondhand summary.

What We Captured

The meeting ran close to two hours. We covered it with three static cameras and a roaming handheld, so every speaker and every question from the room had a usable angle.

From that footage we produced:

• A full multicam video of about an hour and a half, with synced audio, so anyone can watch the meeting as it happened
• Highlight clips for social media, each focused on a specific topic, with speakers framed and visible and captions on
• Consistent styling across the clips in the City's own colors, so they read as one set

Everything was delivered to the City in a shared folder for them to distribute through their own channels.

Keeping It Neutral

The brief I set for myself was simple: inform, don't sway.

The clips were chosen to explain what's on the ballot and what it means, not to make a case for or against either question. No editorializing in the edit, no loaded captions, and the full video is there for anyone who wants to check a clip against the complete context.

That approach is worth its own post, and I've written one. → How to Cover a Ballot Issue Without Taking Sides

Where to Watch

The full video and highlight clips are being shared through the City of New Baltimore's official channels. If you live here and couldn't make the meeting, it's worth the time before November 3.

What Comes Next

The Town Hall was a one-time contribution. Alongside it, I've offered the City three proposals for ongoing work:

• Content management — handling the City's content with a calendar built around its meetings, events, and key dates
• A website refresh — updating the City's site on its existing municipal platform, with staff keeping full access
• A direct mailer redesign — rethinking the City's mailer for clarity and readability

Those are paid proposals, and they're with the City for consideration. Whatever comes of them, I've been glad to do this one.

Thank You

Thanks to Mayor Semaan and the City staff for the opportunity, and to everyone who came out and asked questions. A meeting like this only works when residents show up and engage, and New Baltimore did.

Questions People Ask

When is the vote?
Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

What did the Town Hall cover?
The fire department millage and the proposed new City Hall and administrative building, both on the November 3 ballot in New Baltimore.

Where can I watch the Town Hall video?
Through the City of New Baltimore's official channels, which are distributing the full video and the highlight clips.

Did Jpetrous Creative Services take a position on the ballot questions?
No. The coverage was produced to inform residents, not to persuade them. Clips were selected to explain the questions, and the full video is available for context.

Who paid for the video coverage?
No one. It was provided pro bono to the City. No campaign or committee was involved.

Disclosure: I serve as treasurer of the New Baltimore Arts & Culture Commission. The Town Hall coverage was provided at no charge, and the proposals mentioned above have not been approved as of this writing.

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