By Kim McDarison
The Fort Atkinson City Council returned to its chamber within the city’s municipal building Tuesday for its first in-person meeting in 18 months. The city will be using a hybrid approach to conduct council, board, commission and committee meetings, which will allow members of the public to participate by attending meetings in person or electronically through Zoom.
Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, the Fort Atkinson City Council had been conducting its meetings using the Zoom platform as a COVID-19 precaution. The city began conducted virtual city council meetings in March of 2020.
Protocols in place at the city’s municipal building request that visitors, staff and elected officials wear masks as a continued COVID-19 precaution.
Additionally, with the purchase in June of some technological equipment upgrades installed in the council chamber, council is able to video record its meetings and make them available to the public. Tuesday’s meeting marks the first council meeting which appears in video format on the city’s YouTube channel.
In a related action, council approved on Tuesday a second reading of an amendment to city code, allowing electronic participation at meetings by members of the city council and its associated boards, commissions and committees.
A third and final reading of the amendment is anticipated to take place in September.
Upgrades made to the council chamber came at a cost of approximately $32,000 and were funded through a grant provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which, City Clerk Michelle Ebbert said in June, provides some funding for eligible projects that include investments in public facilities or adaptations to public buildings to “implement COVID-19 mitigation tactics.”
The first city council meeting, which was recorded on Sept. 7 and posted to YouTube on Sept. 8, is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtLCpxKaphYmofyaZb7HZ8A.
Members of the Fort Atkinson City Council take their seats in advance of Tuesday’s meeting. City Clerk Michelle Ebbert, standing, makes sure council members are comfortable using new equipment before the meeting starts. Council began using a virtual format to conduct its meetings as a COVID-19 precaution some 18 months ago. Tuesday’s meeting marked the council’s first hybrid meeting, offering both in-person and virtual options for attendance to members of the public. It was also the first meeting to be video recorded and made available for viewing by the public through YouTube.
Kim McDarison photo.
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