Last night was the big debut of the new technology in the council chambers - automated voting, timed microphones, and a computerized speakers list - and I have to say - it was a bit of a comedy of errors.
There were two big votes last night - one on the aerotropolis issue and the other about aiming for a zero-per cent property tax increase. Both times, councillors pressed a button beside their microphones to vote. But both times, there were problems with how the system recorded the results. For some reason, several councillors' votes were missing from the final tally. After both botched attempts, Council resorted to the old low-tech standby: the standing recorded vote.
One thing that did work perfectly? The five-minute microphone cutoff. As soon as a councillor's mic clicked on, a stopwatch starting displaying how much time they had left to speak. As a reporter who has attended way too many long meetings, I thought I would really love this feature. However, Lloyd Ferguson was in the middle of a very impassioned and interesting argument about the aerotropolis consultation when his mic clicked off. I actually thought it was kind of a shame.
Thoughts?
i'm sure there will be more glitches on a overpriced reno job. theres no way they could go over budget with 80 mil. i worked there and it was a joke the only real heritage that was left was the floor , murals and the god awful tiles on each floor which they tried to guard like king tuts tomb.ridiculous behavier on the heritage society..tax payers get the shaft again..
Posted by: kevv | 06/25/2010 at 02:25 PM
Not "a bit of a comedy of errors" but a LOT of a comedy of errors !
The affair to me says that the renovated City Hall may well have come in under budget and ahead of time, but also unfinished.
As I watched (the following day!)I kept wondering whether the councillors were too thick to use the equipment properly, whether they hadn't received any instruction or whether the equipment was faulty.
I sort feel the same way as you Emma about Councillor Ferguson being interrupted while in full oratorical flight, although I'd disagree that his speech was interesting.
The five minute cut off is good as in the past many councillors thought the five minute rule was for everyone else but them.
Posted by: Brian Henley | 06/25/2010 at 02:28 PM
Oh well,thats progress.
Posted by: steve sheen | 06/25/2010 at 08:51 PM
Well where theres a glitch theres a fix.
Posted by: steve sheen | 06/29/2010 at 01:59 PM