KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Kalamazoo City Commission may return to live meetings in a few weeks, but the County Board will run out the rest of the year on Zoom.
City Manager Jim Ritsema says most of the technical aspects are ready to go at City Hall, but some issues regarding paperwork still need to be addressed.
“We already have protocols in place for City Hall in general,” Ritsema said. “We do have plexiglass, and we would practice social distancing in the audience.”
City Attorney Clyde Robinson says they will have to rescind the emergency order and reinstate some old rules, along with the possibility of creating new ones at their next meeting.
“None of this is necessarily heavy lifting, but it needs to be done and in place,” Robinson said. “Another concern is that there would be a mask mandate. How do you enforce that?”
The City has a budget session tentatively set for December 13 and a regular meeting the following Monday that will be live at City Hall. These will mark the first in-person sessions in more than a year and a half.
Kalamazoo County
Technology upgrades will be needed to return to live County meetings, and the County Board gave the greenlight Tuesday to hire a Battle Creek firm for that purpose.
Deputy Administrator Amanda Woodin says it’s taken longer and will cost more than expected.
“They confirmed in their proposal the availability of the equipment that’s needed, IT equipment,” Woodin said. “It is having supply chain issues just like many other sectors right now.”
The temporary changes in the State’s Open Meetings act that made remote sessions possible for local governments will expire on December 31.
— Copy written by John McNeil —
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