Community News

DURHAM CATHOLIC MAY OFFER VIRTUAL MEETINGS

JILLIAN FOLLERT jfollert@durhamregion.com

The Durham Catholic District School Board is looking at offering a virtual option for board meetings by September 2022.

The board switched back to inperson meetings on March 28 with no virtual alternative at this time.

Trustees recently directed staff to come back with a feasibility report on the cost and logistics of a virtual option. A new report says there would be about $23,700 in one-time costs such as video cameras and graphic design work, as well as $15,000 a year to pay technicians to be on-site to run livestreaming.

Trustees approved a motion to develop new policies to support livestreaming and recording board meetings — and offer a publicly available video archive that is retained "for a specified period of time, as recommended by staff."

All other school boards in Durham are going with hybrid meeting options for at least the rest of this school year.

The Durham District School Board (DDSB) moved board and standing committee meetings to a hybrid format in April.

Trustees have the option to attend online or in person, while public participation in meetings is virtual. Meetings are streamed via Youtube with recordings available for viewing after the fact as well.

Durhamregion.com recently talked to members of the public about how virtual meetings impact their connection to local government.

Many residents said a virtual option allows for more participation and engagement from the public — people don't need to worry about child care, transportation to the meeting location or other obstacles. For example, DDSB parent Alicia Mcauley

Ashfield didn't attend board meetings before the COVID-19 pandemic but started watching online in summer 2020 in an effort to keep tabs on the board's plans for virtual learning.

"The virtual format makes it very easy to watch and participate in meetings. I particularly appreciate that while the meetings are streamed live, the videos remain on the DDSB'S Youtube page and can be viewed whenever it's most convenient, which is ideal if the meeting time conflicts with dinner or bedtimes for young kids," she says.

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2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

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