The Town of Cobourg says council chambers at Victoria Hall will temporarily close later this month to allow for audio-visual system upgrades approved by council in December.
Town officials say the upgrades are intended to improve transparency, accessibility and public engagement by providing clearer sound, better video quality and more reliable livestreaming of council meetings.
The new system will include pan-zoom cameras that automatically focus on speakers, higher-resolution cameras with multiple viewing angles, and on-screen displays showing the speaker’s name and title.
Additional features include centralized delegation controls, simplified microphone activation and digital meeting management tools, including a request-to-speak function to assist the chair during meetings. The system will also allow for remote support, software updates and maintenance, reducing the need for technical staff to be on standby.
Officials say the upgrades will help staff, council members and the public participate more effectively in meetings while reducing disruptions caused by technical issues.
Temporary closure
To accommodate installation, council chambers will be closed for in-person meetings from Thursday, until the regular council meeting on Wednesday, March 25th.
During that time, the Corporate Finance and Legislative Standing Committee meeting scheduled for March 12th will be held virtually using the town’s hybrid meeting platform.
Members of the public will be able to watch the meeting online through the town’s website and participate using a Zoom link provided by the clerk’s office.
Town staff say the upgraded system is designed to streamline meeting operations and allow clerks and administrative staff to focus more on managing council proceedings rather than troubleshooting technical issues.