Virtual meetings becoming the norm during pandemic

To meet rules in place during the coronavirus pandemic, local governments are adopting technology that enables them to hold meetings without actually gathering in their chambers.
Members of Elmore Village Council held their first virtual meetings last week, using the Zoom app to conduct village business while the stay-at-home directive is in effect.
Mayor Rick Claar said he and council held a regular meeting Monday night and a commitee-of-the-whole meeting on Tuesday. 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.
“I was on one side of the room and Jim was on the other side and everybody else was at home,” Claar said. “It’s pretty simple to use. All in all things went well. The meeting was recorded on Zoom and the administrator said it recorded perfectly. We weren’t sure how that was going to work but it worked out well.”
Council heard the third reading of an ordinance that sets time limits for three parking spaces on Rice Street and one on Toledo Street. The ordinance was then approved.
Claar said it was the first time council met since March 9. He credited councilman Jackson and Hower for researching the app service and recommending it.
“The committee-of-the-whole meeting went even better. Everybody was comfortable with it by then,” the mayor said. “It’s going to be interesting going forward because this does change a lot of things. We’ll see what happens after the pandemic order is lifted.”
Several residents also logged onto the meetings, he said. Notices of the meetings and the codes to join in were included in a newsletter the village sends out with bills for electric service.
Council’s next regular meeting is April 27.

Walbridge meeting
After researching options, Walbridge mayor Ed Kolanko opted to use Webex for the April 15 meeting of village council.
The mayor was in council’s chamber while members of council were home. Council clerk Clara Intagliata was in her office.
“It was OK. It was the first time we’ve done that. We practiced in the office,” the mayor said. “Some in the audience dialed in also. We’ll need a few tweaks but all in all it was successful.”
The mayor said he chose Webex because it was user friendly and provided a video and audio option.
During their March 18 meeting, members of council sat at separate desks that were placed at the front of the chambers to observe the 6-foot distance rule.
Council last week unanimously passed a resolution allowing the village police department to participate in a jurisdictional agreement with other area departments. The agreement provides more flexibility for patrol officers to cross jurisdictional lines and assist other departments.