From: Gregory Fowler
Your Worship and Members of the Board of Control,
City Hall does not have a policy which requires the use of microphones in public meetings. Microphones should be in place in Council Chambers and in all City Hall committee rooms, and in Boards and Commissions. That was one of my recommendations to the Governance Task Force, and I understand that it was a recommendation of the Governance Task Force to you. I also understand that "improved sound systems" are planned as part of renovations "within the next 10 months." Notwithstanding that fact, it does not excuse your failure to implement some kind of temporary sound system in Council Chambers in the interim. Worse than that, it does not excuse the failure to use microphones in those meeting rooms where they do already exist and are in good working order. Accessibility by the public to what transpires in public meetings is not something that should be left to the discretion of individual committee members. I request that City Council direct that existing microphones MUST be used unless they are in a state of disrepair, and that when such disrepair occurs that all possible steps be taken to effect their repair as soon as is possible. I also request that you do not AGAIN frame this as an excuse to defer something to the AODA process, as happened to my 2009/06/24 request when the Board of Control dealt with it as part of it's 2009/07/22
agenda (http://council.london.ca/meetings/Archives/Agendas/Board%20Of%20Control%20Agendas/Board%20of%20Control%20Agendas%202009/2009-07-22%20Agenda/Item%2030.pdf). Lack of proper direction from committee Chairs is not a disability. It is simply a lack of respect for those members of the public who care enough to attend public meetings at City Hall.
Sound quality in public meetings is something that is problematic for persons with disabilities. There's no question about that. But it is NOT something that is ONLY problematic for persons with disabilities. It is something that frequently creates problems for "normal" people as well.
Particularly when members of City Council choose to engage in behaviours like sitting back from the table while speaking, speaking in quiet voices, speaking when other members of Council have the "floor," speaking in a direction that is not toward the microphone (when a microphone is being used), not bothering to key the microphone, etc.
This item does NOT need to be referred to the AODA process. It does NOT require that you engage in long debate. It's a no-brainer. Your reluctance to direct that microphones MUST be used when they CAN be used will reflect a lack of respect for the citizens that you were elected to represent, and it will reflect a desire on your part to continue to be LESS transparent than what you can be.
Respectfully,
Mr. Greg Fowler
511 - 380 Adelaide Street N.
London, Ontario
--- From My Bottom Step - personal opinion & news from London, Ontario CANADA
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From: "Saunders, Cathy" <
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To: Mr. Fowler, The City of London does not have a policy requiring committee members to make use of microphones during meetings. We have requested that Committee Chairs ask their members to make use of microphones when they are available. I will however forward a formal written request to Committee Chairs regarding this matter. If you wish to have Board of Control consider your request to direct staff to prepare a written policy, I would ask that you forward a written request regarding this matter that will be placed on the Board of Control agenda as communication. Depending on when this request is received, we would place this matter on as communications at the March 24th Board of Control meeting. As you are aware, the Committee Rooms and the Council Chambers will be renovated within the next 10 months to put in place improved sound systems. Cathy Cathy Saunders, MPA, RPP
City Clerk
City of London
300 Dufferin Avenue
London , Ontario N6A 4L9
519-661-2500 x 4937
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