Council explores contingencies for holding meetings

When Mayor Steve Noble declared a state of emergency for the city on March 13 as a result of the novel coronavirus, the Common Council expected to continue holding its committee meetings while all other Kingston boards and commissions canceled or postponed such gatherings.

Instead, the council ended up canceling its committee meetings through the end of the month. Those meetings could, however, resume in early April.

“Right now, we are looking at one meeting at a time,” council President Andrea Shaut said in an email Friday. “I asked the chairs of each committee to work with department heads and decide if the March agenda items needed to be discussed this month or could be delayed for another month. It turns out nothing was time-sensitive for the upcoming committee meetings, and the chairs all canceled their meetings.”

Shaut said the council has three meetings scheduled for the first week of April, including its caucus and regular monthly meeting, along with a special meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee.

“Next week, I will work with the chairs and city staff to determine how to move forward, again, one at a time,” Shaut said. She said if a meeting needs to happen but can’t be held in person, a switch to teleconferencing or video conferencing could be made.

The same day the mayor declared a state of emergency, the council held a special meeting to adopt a resolution to amend its rules to allow for video conferencing under emergency circumstances. How that video conferencing would be accomplished was not spelled out at the time.

Shaut did not immediately respond to a follow-up question about whether the city now has a plan in place for video conferencing or teleconferencing if it becomes necessary to use either.

“Because everything is rapidly changing, I believe it is premature to make an informed decision before next week,” Shaut said of the council meetings that currently are scheduled. “I do know that the council will do what is needed from them. They are all dedicated to our city.”

Shaut also said city lawmakers have a system worked out with the city clerk to keep everyone safe but also make sure vouchers are signed so the city can pay its bills.

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