Already facing issues prior to COVID-19, the pandemic has identified further challenges with the audio-visual system in the town's council chambers.

Monday, town council approved using up to $18,000 from the town's  election and orientation operating reserve to complete upgrades to alleviate some of the streaming problems being experienced 

"Prior to COVID, we were having issues with some of the components in council chambers failing during meetings, at times impacting our ability to live stream and at times impacting council being able to view the presentations on our screens here in chambers," explained Jaylene Knight, town manager of legislative services.

"COVID has clearly identified further challenges of those components at the end of their life, whereby we would not be able to have some council in chambers while allowing for others to attend meetings."

That system failure not only impacts council meetings but those of town committees.

A complete system review concluded the SVSI matrix switcher is already at end of life, components have stopped working and replacement parts are no loner available. It needs to be replaced with a new digital matrix switcher that will distribute all existing AV signals digitally.

The new matrix switcher will take all the laptop inputs and podium inputs and distribute to the projector and web streamer through the existing Crestron system, which will ensure full functionality of in-person meetings, virtual meetings and allow for a combination of the two.

The town only installed the system two years ago.