LAC LA BICHE - There's no ejection seats or trap-doors over churning pools of sharks with laser beams attached to their heads, but the new-look meeting table, chairs and accompanying accessories in the Lac La Biche County council chambers do have some nice features and upgrades.
Sporting a darker wood stain than the original natural oak colour it had when it was first built for the former Lakeland County council in 2007 where it sat in their County Centre, and now forming the complete horseshoe-shape it originally had, the table is part of the $75,000 upgrades and expansions in the McArthur Place council chambers.
In recent years, the main pieces of the table were linked by a loose connection of folding tables. The new-look result, unveiled for the January 25 council meeting after a month of renovations in the council chambers, has completed the horseshoe effect.
"The old pieces were stained and re-used. New pieces were constructed to replace the collapsible tables and other furniture used by council and administration," Lac La Biche County spokesperson Jihad Moghrabi explained to Lakeland This Week.
In addition, new desks and work stations were purchased for administration staff members, like the recording secretary, who are part of the public council meetings
New tables were also added to the coffee-room that adjoins the council chambers.
The biggest part of the budgeted renovations was for new technology in the room to better link the proceedings to the public and municipal administration. As COVID measures took effect more than two years ago, cameras and recording equipment was installed in the room to capture meeting for public members who could not attend in person. In the months following, council meetings were live-streamed to a virtual audience in real-time. New Information Technology will improve audio and visual links as well as provide virtual viewers with more access to presentations, reports and results of votes through picture-in-picture upgrades.
"The new equipment will provide an improved experience for online viewers," said Moghrabi, explaining that additional screens and monitors as well as other technical improvements in the room will also be part of the technology upgrades once completed.
"The equipment has been ordered, but delivery has been delayed. The initial plan was to complete the furniture and IT equipment at the same time, however the delays will require this part of the project to be completed at a later date," Moghrabi explained.
Of the $75,000 budgeted for the rooms upgrades, $50,000 was for the IT updates.
The technology upgrades, once all the components arrive, will be scheduled for installation during a future break in council meetings that can free up the room for a week.
While there was initial discussion that each of the nine council seating sections around the table would be upgraded with partitions for pandemic measures, there were no visible dividers in place at meetings last week.
At Tuesday's meeting, council's first at the new desk, Mayor Paul Reutov quipped about the new look.
"It's got that new car smell," he joked.
