REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: June 4, 2020 Report No. ADM-20-017
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Rachel Dumas, Manager of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Funding consideration for an audio upgrade in Council Chambers.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council direct staff to proceed with services for the installation of an audio upgrade in Council Chambers by Pacific Audio Works and approve the allocation of funding in the amount of $8749.08 from contingency funds.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Council Procedure Bylaw, 2009, No. 2715
Community Charter
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Excellence in Public Service: Engage, respect and respond to the needs of the community.
BACKGROUND:
In 2013 the Council Chambers audio and video upgrades were performed by Pacific Audio Works (PAW) and at that time there were no requirements for audio conferences in the room. PAW continues to provide maintenance support for this technology. The design only took in to consideration the newly installed web casting of council meetings and no remote participants calling in for the meeting.
The Council Procedure Bylaw, No. 2715, 2009 was amended on March 30 to allow all members of Council to participate electronically in Council meetings to ensure the minimum number of members required are present for the conduct of the intended business. Previously, the bylaw only permitted one member of Council to participate electronically at any given time at a specific meeting. Since March 2020, Council and Committee of the Whole meetings have been conducted electronically with 4-5 members of Council attending the meeting via conference call. This method has proven to be challenging with the limited devices available to conduct such meetings. Currently we use two conference phones at each meeting; one for internal participants and the other for external third parties. In April, The Manager of IT requested a quote from Pacific Audio Works to address audio concerns which was submitted by the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Emergency Planning Committee to Provincial Regional Emergency Operations for funding of this expense. The request was denied because it was viewed as a business continuity expense and not a response cost.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
The Community Charter outlines in section 128 (2) “that communication facilities used for electronic meetings must permit the participants to hear each other”. Due to the unprecedented health pandemic enforcing physical distancing, a requirement for remote participants is now in place in conjunction with Ministerial Order No. M139 (Attachment No. 2). Both participants and viewers watching the live streamed meeting have commented that the sound could be improved or have found it hard to hear other participants during the meeting. In order to provide a good experience for remote participants, an upgrade to the audio system in the Council Chamber is needed in order to integrate the existing VoIP phone system into the room audio system.
2. Organizational Implications
There are no organizational implications with this Request for Decision.
3. Financial Implications
The cost for the upgrade is $8749.08 (Attachment No. 1) and is not allocated in the 2020 budget.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
There are no sustainability and environmental implications with this Request for Decision.
5. Communication & Engagement
Should Council approve funding, staff would request installation during the Council Recess period to avoid any operational disruption or sooner if scheduling permits. The Corporate Officer will advise staff accordingly via the Township’s internal information platform “the Bridge” or via email.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council direct staff to proceed with services for the installation of an audio upgrade in Council Chambers by Pacific Audio Works and approve the allocation of funding in the amount of $8749.08 from contingency funds.
2. That Council not approve funding for an audio upgrade in Council Chambers.