Citizens who want to know what’s going on at Joint School Committee meetings might just have to get in the car and go to one.

The quarterly meetings include representatives from each school in the tri-town who make decisions on school policies, school schedules, budgets and other issues.

Unlike the school committees for Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester, meetings of the Joint School Committee are not recorded for public access television. Many members said they prefer it that way. The Old Rochester Regional School Committee, which meets in the same room, is also untelevised.

“If someone is really interested to know what’s going on in the school committee, rise up, get in the car and sit here,” said Jim O’Brien, chair of the ORR committee. “That’s just my opinion. Bring the community here.”

Despite the fact that the committee oversees a $16.5 million budget, parents and other residents rarely attend meetings, noted one member.

Jay Patekos of the Marion School Committee, who brought the televising idea forward, said few people come to meetings in his town either.

“It’s just a matter of giving the public an option,” he said. “ A lot of the discussion that happens here is very important.”

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Elise Frangos said recording the meetings could give access to citizens unable to drive at night.

“To have that transparency I think would be optimal,” she said.

Chair Sharon Hartley said brainstorming and discussion might be constricted if a video camera was present.

“There are always some people who can’t help from performing on camera. There are always the people who feel inhibited on camera,” she said. “I’m an old-fashioned believer in democracy. It can’t be couch potato.”

Playing “devil’s advocate,” Tim Scholz of Rochester said, “When there are no cameras, behavior can sometimes get bad. When cameras are on, bad behavior tends to be squelched a bit. That’s about the only strong advantage.”

The committee will vote on the issue at its March meeting.