To: Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Virginia Bass
Agenda Section: Initiated by Board Member
SUBJECT:
title
Consider Opening Board Chambers to In-Person Meetings Prior to Sept. 30, 2021 (Supervisor Virginia Bass)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve reopening to In-Person Board Meetings on Aug. 10, 2021; and
2. Discuss whether to continue offering a hybrid videoconferencing component to in-person Board Meetings going forward.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
N/A
DISCUSSION:
On Jan. 29, 2021, your Board voted to continue videoconferencing Board Meetings until Sept. 30, 2021. However, since that time, numerous requests from constituents asking the Board to reopen its meetings to in-person attendance has prompted staff to research what other counties in California are doing.
Human Resources Director Linda Le polled the California Human Resources Association (Attachment A) to inquire about their respective agencies’ board meetings and found that 78.5% of the 28 counties that responded to the survey have been or will be resuming in-person meetings with various hybrid options.
The Clerk of the Board polled an additional 22 rural counties (Attachment B) and found that 100% are currently holding in-person meetings with 17 of 22 counties providing hybrid video or tele-conferencing services during in-person Board Meetings. In addition, 9 of the 22 counties polled have been holding in-person meetings since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Much of the financial impact related to reopening Board chambers has already been expended in the Fiscal Year 2020-21 budget. However, depending on Board direction, offering a hybrid version of on-line and in-person meetings could require additional investments in county IT infrastructure, with costs yet to be determined. A return to in-person meetings would require increased security costs for the courthouse if future Board meetings and/or public hearings extend beyond normal business hours.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by providing community-appropriate levels of service.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
A. California Human Resources Association Survey Data
B. RCRC Counties Board Meeting Poll
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A