Kingston city councillors hesitant to resume face-to-face meetings during pandemic’s fourth wave
Global News
After a year and a half of holding virtual meetings, Kingston city councillors appear in no rush to see each other in person any time soon.
After a year and a half of holding virtual meetings, Kingston city councillors appear in no rush to see each other in person any time soon.
They have opted to continue to meet in a virtual format for at least another six months due to lingering concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and the extra cost of renovating the historic council chamber in city hall to make it safer for meetings.
Coun. Ryan Boehme led the charge to stick with the status quo of electronic meetings in the midst of the pandemic’s fourth wave.
City staff presented three options for councillors to consider earlier this month: continue meeting electronically, meet in council chambers with clear physical dividers between desks and mandatory masks, or a hybrid of the two options allowing each councillor the option to meet in person or virtually.
Councillors haven’t met face to face since March 2020, when the pandemic lockdowns first began.
Boehme says there’s no need to rush back to city hall to conduct municipal business.
“The fact that we’re basically within the fourth wave, I don’t think a move back to the in-person chambers or the hybrid move at this point makes a ton of sense.”
Council voted 9-4 to stick with the status quo of holding council and committee meetings from the comfort of their homes or offices for safety reasons.