To: Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Michelle Bushnell
Agenda Section: Initiated by Board Member
SUBJECT:
title
Consider Opening Board Chambers to In-Person Meetings (Supervisor Michelle Bushnell)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Consider reopening to In-Person Board Meetings
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
N/A
DISCUSSION:
Since March, 2021, the Board of Supervisors has been meeting via videoconferencing in response to the pandemic and COVID-19. On July 20, 2021 the board revisited the possibility of reopening to in-person Board meetings to accommodate numerous requests from constituents to go back into the Board Chambers for live meetings. However, at the time, the Board subsequently decided at its Aug. 6, 2021 meeting to continue with videoconferencing meetings for the foreseeable future because of the significant surge in cases due to the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.
However, many counties in California have successfully continued to hold in-person Board meetings during the pandemic while following all of the state and local guidelines for protecting its employees and citizens from COVID-19. As such, the Board of Supervisors is once again being asked to consider opening up to in-person Board meetings.
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 will require additional investments in county IT infrastructure, with costs yet to be determined.
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:
N/A
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A