May 11, 2022

While the Forum took refuge from COVID-19 in a virtual room, several big changes have occurred at the Forum’s old haunt at the Belmont Center.

New chairs and new tables, all with wheels. More chairs. And an audio/video equipment package that will bring Forum meetings to your smartphone if you’re unavailable to sit down in one of those snazzy new chairs.

The Forum is scheduled to return to the Belmont Center at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 24.

The location of presenters and participants, may change, but as the picture illlustrates, continuing the room layout used since January 2016 should work fine.

In coming days, facilitators will make a decision on maximum occupancy for the May 24 first meeting. More on that later.

The audio/video equipment was installed to support the City of Charlotte’s training programs that were broadcast to city offices and remote locations during the pandemic. Community groups like the Forum, returning this year to the Belmont Center,  will benefit from the upgrade.

The equipment will power the speakers in the room. Microphones planted in three locations will amplify voices in any part of the room, so except in emergencies, the passing of wireless microphones will not be required. The equipment will be available for high-quality display of any video presentations. And the equipment will be used to produce the Forum’s livestreaming of its meetings, and meeting videos archived on this website.