The Cariboo Regional District meetings in January and February will not be live-streamed this year.
Anyone looking to keep up with local CRD affairs will have to travel to the CRD's offices at 180 Third Avenue in Williams Lake and attend the meetings in person. The hiatus in audio live-streaming is happening as the CRD replaces its aging live-stream equipment.
In a release announcing the interruption, the CRD noted the equipment they've used to broadcast the audio of CRD board and Regional Hospital District meetings is no longer working. While the CRD is in the process of replacing this equipment, it is not expected to be up and running until at least mid-March.
The CRD said they are using funds from the 2023 Growing Communities Fund to pay for this new equipment, requiring no money from taxation. CRD staff has spent 2024 assessing new potential replacement hardware and software systems. The CRD expects their new system to cost up to $160,000 plus installation costs.
"The system that is being installed will be capable of integrated audio-visual capture. At this time, there is no intent to use this system for live video streams of Board meetings," Gerald Pinchbeck, the CRD's manager of communications, said. "The video system will only be used when there are delegations attending by video conference so that the Board and the delegation are able to interact better."
Pinchbeck explained that live streaming the CRD meetings visually would require an amendment to the CRD's current Board Meeting Procedure Bylaw. Currently, the bylaw permits only an audio-stream and a temporary audio recording. When asked if the CRD has any plans to change the bylaw, Pinchbeck said a discussion on this matter has not happened thus far.
In the meantime, the CRD would like to invite any member of the public who usually listens to the audio stream to attend their board meetings in person. All CRD board meetings are open to the public bar those relating the labour relations, legal matters and other confidential topics.
While public attendance is welcomed, public participation in the meeting or commentary is not permitted unless it is part of an official delegation that was registered in advance of the meeting. The CRD's next scheduled board meeting will take place on Jan. 24, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in Williams Lake.
