Full agendas and empty council chambers in Durham

Thestar.com
Aug. 31, 2021
Jennifer O’Meara

In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Durham municipalities are preparing to once again hold public meetings that can’t open doors to the public.

“I prefer and I am more than ready to return to Pickering Council meetings to be held at City Hall,” Mike Borie, a resident highly involved with municipal government, said via email.

Local municipalities are still trying to offer open council meetings from closed chambers this fall.

Whitby plans to continue virtual meetings, until the COVID-19 case counts allow the town to permit in-person attendance.

“My personal preference is for council to return to in-person meetings. I find the quality of virtual meetings to be inferior to in-person meetings,” Mayor Don Mitchell said via email.

Clarington has been running hybrid meetings -- with the mayor and some staff in the chambers and the rest of council and the public joining virtually -- since September 2020.

“Throughout this pandemic, the work of council and the municipality has continued,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster. “Of course, as a society, we are eager to get back to ‘normal,’ whatever that may be. We continue to assess the situation.”

Pickering has been running virtually and plans to start hybrid meetings in November (depending on the fourth wave and pandemic gathering rules at the time).

“There is an added dimension of engagement when people interact face-to-face, and as such, we look forward to the return of in-person council meetings,” Mayor Dave Ryan said via email

Ajax will continue fully virtual meetings for the rest of 2021. The town is currently upgrading the technology in council chambers to facilitate livestreaming for hybrid meetings. The town will be considering ongoing regular virtual meetings, said Deputy Clerk Alexander Harras.

“Council and staff have been very satisfied with the virtual meeting format, and have found that it has increased public engagement,” Harras said via email.

This pandemic has created a shift in how residents interact with their elected officials -- for better and worse.

Here’s what works about virtual meetings:

Many members of the public welcome the ability to speak at meetings and make presentations from home, explained Foster.

Residents with accessibility issues, child-care responsibilities or who live far from council chambers can stay informed and participate in council meetings.

Residents don't have to drive to the meeting, which reduces the carbon footprint and saves time.

The public can drop in and out of meetings while waiting for items of interest.

Potential for improved community engagement. Whitby has seen an increase in community engagement numbers since it launched its new “Connect Whitby” platform last summer.

“Residents can share ideas and feedback on the municipal decisions and projects that matter to them,” said Mitchell.

Virtual meetings can also make participation impossible for some citizens. Not every resident has a computer or is computer literate. Not all residents can afford a computer and internet service. Broadband internet access is not equal across Durham; some areas have limited or no high-speed internet access at all. Virtual meetings don’t meet all needs.

Here’s why many residents and politicians can’t wait to get the public back in the room:

Limited facial expressions, body language and nonverbal communication during meetings.

Fewer questions from councillors at Regional Council during virtual meetings as opposed to in-person meetings, noticed resident Linda Gasser, an avid participant in local government.

Background distractions, technical difficulties and a range of computer literacy skills can limit the quality of virtual meetings and waste time.

It’s difficult to gauge the number of residents concerned about an issue.

“For some meetings, where I don’t delegate, watching the live stream can be sufficient for run of the mill issues but for important issues nothing gets the interest of all involved, including the media, as a full council chambers,” Gasser explained via email.