Presentation: Webcasting Review

CHAT FEATURE:

Currently used for:

• Council meetings:
  • “Public Participation”
  • “Comments from the Public” where applicable
  • “Question Period”
• Committee of the Whole (CoW) meetings
  • “Public Participation”
  • “Question Period”
• Public Hearings
  • “Comments from the Public”

CHAT FEATURE STATS:

• Council Meetings:
  • Used at 3 out of 17 meetings
  • Total of 9 people used it at these 3 meetings
  • Average of ½ participant uses the chat feature/Council Meeting (or 1 person/month)
• Committee of the Whole Meetings:
  • Used at 4 out of 8 meetings
  • Total of 11 people used it at these 4 meetings
  • Average of 1 participant uses the chat feature/CoW Meeting (or 1 person/month)
• Public Hearings:
  • Used at 2 out of 3 hearings
  • Total of 10 people used it at these 2 meetings
  • Average of 3 participants use the chat feature/Public Hearing

CHAT FEATURE:

Concerns with use for Council and CoW meetings:

1. Resource intensive for how frequently it is used (average 1 person/month)
2. Meeting pace not suited to chat feature tool; can be frustrating for users

Recommend best use is for Public Hearings only:

• uptake has been higher and
• pace of Hearing/format better suited to chat feature

UPDATE MOTION RE. M192:

To reflect proposed operational changes:

• use of the chat feature for Public Hearings only and
• change the deadline for late item correspondence to 1 p.m. for all agendas for sufficient time to process and upload

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Microsoft Teams Live Event chat feature be used only for Public Hearings;

AND THAT the October 20, 2020 resolution to address Ministerial Order No. M192 provisions be replaced with the following:

THAT, pursuant to Ministerial Order No. M192 of the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General passed June 17, 2020, Council authorizes, until there are changes to the restrictions on gatherings and social distancing requirements, all open meetings shall be conducted without members of the public present;

AND THAT openness, transparency, accessibility, and accountability of these meetings are ensured through the following means:

1. live webcasting to see and hear Council meetings, Committee of the Whole meetings, and Public Hearings available through a link on the Town of View Royal website;

RECOMMENDATION (continued):

2. participation in and attendance at Council and Committee of the Whole meetings via real-time telephone conference for Public Participation and Question Period;
3. participation in and attendance at Public Hearings via real-time telephone conference and the chat feature;
4. participation in and attendance at Board of Variance meetings via real-time telephone conference;
5. attendance at Advisory Committee meetings via real-time telephone conference;
6. provision of a newspaper notice of Council and Committee of the Whole meetings;
7. accommodating Petitions and Delegations by real-time telephone conference only or pre-arranged live video presentation;
8. accommodating applicants/consultants by real-time telephone conference only or pre-arranged live video presentation;
9. making the meeting agenda available on the Town of View Royal website;
10. accepting written correspondence up to 1:00 p.m. on the day of the Council, Committee of the Whole, and Board of Variance meetings and Public Hearings for inclusion on the agenda; and
11. posting recorded webcast meetings on View Royal’s website as soon as possible after the meetings.