Welland opening Council Chambers to public on June 7

After more than two years of being closed to the public, Welland City Council is ready to the doors back open for their June 7 meeting.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Council meetings shifted entirely online, live-streamed through the City’s website.

If residents still aren’t comfortable with public setting, live streaming continues as an option to watch Council
meetings. That said, the chambers capacity is capped at 150 people.

“We encourage those wishing to view meetings to continue to do so online and for those in attendance to remain mindful of distancing,” said Welland Clerk Tara Stephens.

“We know that members of the public enjoy being in chambers for meetings, and there’s a different level of discourse between presenters, for example, when they are in chambers as opposed to virtual.”

When operations return, new procedures will come with it, notably around closed in-camera sessions.

• Prior to the closed session of Council beginning, security will place signage at the base of the stairs on the main level and in the hall on the second level leading to Council Chambers advising that Council Chambers are closed to the public.
• Security will advise members of the public to remain in the Civic reception area on the main level until Council Chambers are open to the public.
• At the end of the closed session, a message will be sent to security from the clerk via a texting app.
• Security will change the signage advising that Council Chambers is open to the public
• Security will advise any of the public that is waiting in the Civic Reception area that Council Chambers are open.

In addition to the public attending in-person, there is no restriction on the number of Councillors who
may preside in chambers during the meeting as they are still welcome attend meetings virtually.