STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
DATE: Regular Meeting of December 14, 2021
TO: Members of the City Council
VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Lori Martin, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk
SUBJECT: Update on Returning to In-Person Hybrid Meetings
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive report, discuss, and provide direction to staff.
FISCAL IMPACT OF RECOMMENDATION:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Governor Gavin Newson signed Executive Order N-15-21 clarifying that cities may continue to meet remotely in accordance with procedures established by prior Executive Orders. On September 16 th
Governor Newsom signed AB361 which allows cities to continue to meet remotely during proclaimed states of emergency under modified Brown Act requirements that are similar but not identical to the rules and procedures established by the previous Executive Brown Act Orders.
This bill, until January 1, 2024, would authorize a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying with the teleconferencing requirements imposed by the Ralph M. Brown Act when a legislative body of a local agency holds a meeting during a declared state of emergency, as that term is defined, when state of local health officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing, during a proclaimed state of emergency.
Currently the work that was needed to the Council Chambers to conduct hybrid meetings has been completed and staff is conducting tests on the equipment to ensure that the functionality of the audio/video is of good quality with minimal if any feedback.
DISCUSSION:
As of November 23, 2021, the Contra Costa County Health Services website shows that Contra Costa County has been in the Yellow Moderate Tier for the last 3 days. The current health order indicates that the mask mandate for vaccinated individuals will be lifted if the County continuously stays in the Yellow Moderate tier for three (3) consecutive weeks; there are fewer than 75 COVID- 19 hospitalizations in the County; and either 80% of the total population is fully vaccinated, or eight (8) weeks have passed since a COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for emergency use by federal and state authorities for 5-11 year olds.
Attached hereto is a listing of responses from Contra Costa Cities on their plans of returning to in- person meetings or remaining virtual and re-evaluating every 30 days.
With the Holiday season before us, staff recommends re-evaluating in January to check the Contra Costa County Health statistics after the Holiday season and then making a more informed decision.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Poll from Contra Costa Cities
2. 9/28/21 Staff Report on AB 361