Amid concerns of increasing COVID-19 cases, the Flagstaff City Council reaffirmed the decision to return to in-person council meetings at city hall, during a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Council had initially agreed in July to resume in-person meetings on Aug. 24, but that decision was reevaluated due to breakthrough cases, the spread of variants and the latest transmission trends.
With the decision that the public can indeed return next week, it will be the first time the council has accepted in-person comments since the early stages of the pandemic.
But future council sessions will still look different than they did prior to the suspension. City staff announced that the council chambers have received a handful of upgrades during the council's five-week summer break, allowing for more flexibility going forward.
The improvements allow the council to begin operating meetings in a “hybrid format,” supporting public comments made both remotely and in person, according to city staff. It also allows councilmembers and city staff to attend meetings remotely if needed.
That capability was put on display during Tuesday’s meeting when two members of the council, Mayor Paul Deasy and Austin Aslan, participated from their homes. The rest of the council deliberated face-to-face in the chambers using the new technology.
“Today we are experiencing a very excellent example of what a hybrid model would look like,” City Clerk Stacy Saltzburg said.
Saltzburg said the city is expecting public comment to improve as a result of the new model. Instead of utilizing telephone calls for remote comments, the city has switched to a virtual waiting room to field incoming commenters. The meetings will continue to be live-streamed on the city's website.
As deliberations began, councilmember Adam Shimoni was the first to speak in favor of allowing the public to return. However, he felt that public safety restrictions were needed.
“I am comfortable with in-person, but I would like to see us put a lesser capacity on the chamber itself and section off rows to maintain social distancing amongst the public,” Shimoni said. “ We can have clear signage at the front reminding people of social distance.”
A majority on Council agreed with the need for safety measures, also agreeing to unlock chamber doors 30 minutes before future council sessions. That will allow city staff to make sure the audience is adequately spaced and following protocols.
Some of the protocols discussed by council included limiting attendance and performing temperature checks at the entrance. However, Council did not provide clear direction on the latter and it was unclear if it was feasible. City spokesperson Jessica Drum confirmed that attendance will be limited at the Aug. 24 council meeting.
Councilmembers largely spoke favorably of the hybrid model, noting that it gives staff and councilmembers the ability to engage in the meetings in a safe manner.
Deasy added that the remote functionality of the hybrid model should be utilized by those who are showing symptoms or have engaged in risky activities, allowing them to stay home.
“We should all be cognizant of the things that we have done that might put us at higher risk given the presence of that hybrid flexibility,” Deasy said.
Council also discussed Tuesday implementing a new city vaccination program and engaging in marketing to promote the use of masks. Those conversations are slated to be addressed further at future council meetings.