City Departments
Council Chambers
The Mayor's desk and chair are located atop a small raised dais at the head of the room. Overlooking the dais is a great arching window that provides a backdrop for both the chair and its occupant. This is the highest point in the chambers and it affords a commanding view both of the chambers in front and the city behind. This is also at the narrow end of the room, with antechambers to either side. The room spreads out from here to its greatest width at the other end of the building, so that the Mayor's seat is also a focal point of the Chambers. The Mayor's desk is the largest in the room, measuring 48" across by 30" deep.
To the left and right of the Mayor's dais may be found the desks the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) who sits on the Mayor's right and the City Clerk who sits to the left of the Mayor. The CAO is the head of the municipal bureaucracy that performs all the duties and provide all the services expected by the city's citizens. The City Clerk is the head of the Public Access and Council Services (PACS), the municipal department that, among other things, attends to the needs of Council. The desks of the CAO and the City Clerk share with the Mayor the same commanding view of the Council Chambers, but stand off the dais at a lower level.
The Councillors desks stand in two rows of three desks each arranged so that they face each other and are perpendicular to the Mayor's desk. These rows stand slightly to the left and to the right of the Mayor's dais. On the vertical scale, Councillors sit below the levels of the Mayor and the C.A.O. and City Clerk, but higher than the other meeting participants and the audience. To the rear of the Councillors' desks are two curved wooden rails to guard against missteps and other accidents as people walk around the raised council area. Councillors are seated alphabetically, with the councillor with the last name beginning with a letter closest to "A" seated at the nearest desk on the Mayor's right. The councillor with the last name beginning with the letter closest to "Z" is seated at the desk nearest the Mayor's left.
Located between the rows of councillors? desks but not shown in our Virtual Council Chambers, is a desk for the council page. The page transfers documents from the Mayor and Council to administration officials and provides other administrative services as required.
At the foot of and just off the Council area are found the desks for the six Department Heads. These desks are arranged in a smooth curve around the front of the raised council area. The Department Heads face Council and are present to provide additional information and to answer questions from the Mayor or Councillors that may arise from matters under discussion.
Behind these desks stands the podium for delegates. It is equipped with projectors and computer outlets to enable delegations to make electronic presentations to Council. Behind the podium is the open area of the room where chairs for the audience are located.
To the left and right of the Mayor's dais may be found the desks the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) who sits on the Mayor's right and the City Clerk who sits to the left of the Mayor. The CAO is the head of the municipal bureaucracy that performs all the duties and provide all the services expected by the city's citizens. The City Clerk is the head of the Public Access and Council Services (PACS), the municipal department that, among other things, attends to the needs of Council. The desks of the CAO and the City Clerk share with the Mayor the same commanding view of the Council Chambers, but stand off the dais at a lower level.
The Councillors desks stand in two rows of three desks each arranged so that they face each other and are perpendicular to the Mayor's desk. These rows stand slightly to the left and to the right of the Mayor's dais. On the vertical scale, Councillors sit below the levels of the Mayor and the C.A.O. and City Clerk, but higher than the other meeting participants and the audience. To the rear of the Councillors' desks are two curved wooden rails to guard against missteps and other accidents as people walk around the raised council area. Councillors are seated alphabetically, with the councillor with the last name beginning with a letter closest to "A" seated at the nearest desk on the Mayor's right. The councillor with the last name beginning with the letter closest to "Z" is seated at the desk nearest the Mayor's left.
Located between the rows of councillors? desks but not shown in our Virtual Council Chambers, is a desk for the council page. The page transfers documents from the Mayor and Council to administration officials and provides other administrative services as required.
At the foot of and just off the Council area are found the desks for the six Department Heads. These desks are arranged in a smooth curve around the front of the raised council area. The Department Heads face Council and are present to provide additional information and to answer questions from the Mayor or Councillors that may arise from matters under discussion.
Behind these desks stands the podium for delegates. It is equipped with projectors and computer outlets to enable delegations to make electronic presentations to Council. Behind the podium is the open area of the room where chairs for the audience are located.