Town Council Votes To Resume Remote Meetings Until September

Report On The Meeting of The Amherst Town Council, June 21, 2021 (Part 3)

Read Part 1 and Part 3 of the report here and here.

Present: Lynn Griesemer (chair, District 2), Mandi Jo Hanneke and Andy Steinberg (at large), Cathy Schoen (District 1), Pat DeAngelis (District 2), Dorothy Pam and George Ryan (District 3), Evan Ross and Steve Schreiber (District 4).

Remote participation: Alisa Brewer (at large), Sarah Swartz (District 1), Shalini Bahl-Milne and Darcy DuMont (District 5)

This was the first hybrid meeting of the Town Council since the expiration of Governor Charlie Baker’s special orders on remote meetings. 

Nine councilors were present in the Town Room of Town Hall, as were Town Manager Paul Bockelman and Clerk of the Council Athena O’Keeffe. Councilors Alisa Brewer (at large), Sarah Swartz (District 1), Darcy DuMont, and Shalini Bahl-Milne (District 5) participated remotely. Masks were required for all who attended in person. At the beginning of the meeting, there were an estimated 25 people in the room which has a capacity of 40. The full meeting can be viewed here.

At 12:20 a.m. on June 22,  the Council began a discussion of the format for future meetings. Hanneke made a motion to continue hybrid meetings only until September 1. Several Councilors questioned whether masks are still required. Bockelman said that the Health Director is emphatic that masks must be worn if people are in a room for a prolonged period of time and vaccination is not required. Air circulation was also mentioned as an issue. Hanneke said that, even with masks, the discussion is much better in person. She added that  the CDC says that vaccinated people do not need to wear masks inside, and that we should “follow the science.” She said she feels that people might be supporting a continuation of Zoom meetings because they “just do not feel like driving to Town Hall.” After the vote failed, 4-6-3, she said, “It’s sad that our children are braver than we are.” (Bahl-Milne, Hanneke, Ryan, and DeAngelis voted yes; Griesemer, Pam, and Ross abstained).

Pam said that after hearing what the Health Director said, she is wary of Covid variants and being in a room with possibly unvaccinated people. Swartz said she will be helping an ill family member and can’t risk being exposed to Covid, the flu, or other viruses. Bahl-Milne said it is difficult for her to speak with a mask on. Ryan said it is really important for him to meet in person and that he is  tired of sitting in front of a computer all day.

 The Council then voted to remain all remote on Zoom until September by a vote of 7-3-3 (Hanneke, DeAngelis, and Ryan voted no. Bahl-Milne, Griesemer, and Ross abstained). Therefore the next Council meeting will be via Zoom on June 28.

Next, the Council considered the format for Council committees. All other committees under the Town Manager will be remote until after Labor Day. Brewer pointed out that, unlike Council meetings, the hybrid format is not an option because of technology limitations, so members of the public who would wish to observe or speak at meetings held in person would have to show up. Several of the Councilors felt that eliminating Zoom meetings is likely to decrease public participation.

Hanneke noted that some Council committees have rarely had anyone attend, even on Zoom, but Schoen said that often people watch the video later. DuMont said it might be confusing to have some committees meet in person and others remotely. Although all meetings in the Town Room can be recorded, it is more difficult to record and to post them if they are not on Zoom. The Council voted 8-2-3 to allow each committee to decide its format (DuMont and Brewer voted no, and Swartz, Steinberg, and DeAngelis abstained).

Councilors encouraged members of the public to write to them (towncouncil@amherstma.gov) and express their preference for the format that government meetings should adopt moving forward.

Meeting adjourned at 12:52 a.m.