East Central Iowa News

When given a lemon, make lemonade or as far as city councils and other governing entities are concerned, hold virtual meetings.

While not the favorite way to meet for all, virtual meetings have become a necessity for many bodies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With physical interactions limited to social distancing standards, the safest and most efficient way to conduct business is a virtual meeting.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s a way to make meeting work,” Hardin County supervisor Lance Granzow told KIFG. “Government has to move forward.”

The Iowa City League of Cities offers guidance to help government entities comply with the state’s open meeting act. That guidance comes complete with technical help in creating a format for the virtual meetings on apps such as Zoom.

Not all have been committed to a virtual format as they look for the best fit. Some hold hybrid meetings consisting of some officials present and other officials meeting online. Bodies such as the Iowa Falls City Council have continued to meet in-person while practicing social distancing standards.

KIFG reports those attending have to answer questions about where they have been and there is a maximum of 10 people allowed in the meeting. Chairs are set up in the doorway should there be anyone in attendance.

“As long as we’re practicing social distancing, I’m not overly concerned at this point,” Mayor Gene Newgaard told KIFG. “We’re all pretty responsible about distancing ourselves. We’re taking precautions."

Towns such as Hubbard have opted to run a meeting through teleconferencing which has the challenges of people talking over each other. Mayor Marshall Simmerman made the decision to hold meetings on phone in respect to the social distancing rules.

Whether or not virtual meetings or teleconferencing becomes part of the new normal remains to be seen. There are challenges in citizen participation, particularly if they do not have access to technology. But Granzow did see the benefit for those being able to take part in a meeting that live out of state if they are impacted on a line item like drainage.

“It opened up a whole new avenue for them to attend,” Granzow told KIFG. “I think for drainage we’ll do both in-person and Zoom.”