Public Input Period Returning to Regular Meetings of Council

August 7, 2020

The City is pleased to reintroduce a public input period beginning at Monday’s Regular Meeting of Council at 7:00 pm both online and in-person at the Community Centre (902 Highway 3).

The public input period allows for in-person, online, or telephone participation and will be open for up to 15 minutes at the start of the meeting. Input must be limited to items on the agenda EXCEPT those items such as bylaws coming to a public hearing, or permits requiring scheduled public input such as development variance permits.

In-person meetings at the Community Centre will incorporate the following COVID-19 safety protocols:

  • Maximum public occupancy of 10 attendees
  • Separate entry/exit
  • Hand sanitizing upon entry
  • Sign in for contact tracing purposes, and affirmation that attendee is free of covid-like symptoms
  • Mandatory mask-wearing, except where contraindicated (i.e., health preclusions, etc.)
  • Signage directing traffic flow
  • Sequential entry to and exit from the centre:
    • The public will be allowed entry 5 minutes before the meeting is called to order
    • Council will not exit the building until all public attendees have cleared the area

Note that meetings will still be streamed via Zoom and Facebook Live and available for viewing after the meeting at your convenience via the City of Fernie website.

To attend and participate electronically:

  • Click on the link provided and you will automatically join when the meeting is started. You will be muted and will not be visible to other participants (video off) except as part of the attendee list, which is visible to the host (City staff).
  • If you would like to contribute during a public input period, please “raise your hand” by clicking the “raise hand” button. The Host will indicate to the Mayor your wish to provide input and will send you a prompt to unmute your mic when appropriate. Note that while unmuted, your name and profile picture are displayed to the Host and panelists (Council). Only your name is displayed to other attendees.
  • Once you have completed your comments, the Host will lower your hand and mute your mic.

To attend and participate by telephone:

  • Please call 1.778.907.2071. You will be prompted to enter the meeting ID, followed by #.
  • Press # again to wait until the host joins the meeting.
  • You will be automatically assigned an attendee number based on your place in the telephone queue.
  • If you would like to contribute during a public input period, the following commands can be entered using your phone’s dial pad:
    • *6 to mute / unmute
    • *9 to raise hand
      • The Host will indicate to the Mayor your wish to provide input and will send you a prompt to unmute your mic when appropriate. Once you have completed your comments, the Host will lower your hand and you must mute your handset.