Elmore: Council meeting open to the public

The July 13 regular meeting of Elmore Village Council will be open to the public but will be held at a different location.
Mayor Rick Claar said the meeting will be held at the village community center on Clinton Street to accommodate residents who decide to attend, but the meeting will also be transmitted virtually using the Zoom app.
The mayor said he’s been informed two members of council intend to remain at home and use the Zoom system to participate. Also, the village solicitor, fiscal officer, and administrator plan to utilize the Zoom app. That means the mayor, police chief and four members of council will actually be at the meeting at the community center.
Council’s meeting agenda includes the third reading of an ordinance for an annexation request for a property near the intersection of Dischinger and Ames streets; the second reading of an ordinance for an annexation request for property on Portage River S. Road and a second reading of an ordinance that would update an ordinance covering yard sale regulations.
Council agreed to use the Zoom app to meet social distancing rules set in place during the coronavirus pandemic. Local governments adopted the technology as a means to hold meetings without actually gathering in their chambers.
Mayor Claar said there have been a few glitches but overall the virtual meetings have gone smoothly. He said he’s been pleasantly surprised by the number of residents who’ve sat in on the meetings via their computers at home.
During that first virtual meeting, the mayor and councilman Jim Krumnow were in council’s chambers while council members Tom Jackson, Ben Drill, Zach Floro, Bill Kieffer and Jake Wargacki were at home – all at their computers.
Police chief Jeffrey Harrison was in his office next to the council meeting room and fiscal officer Sheri Hayes, administrator Dave Hower and solicitor Mark Mulligan “attended” from home.
Monday’s meeting at the community center starts at 7 p.m.