Chatham-Kent council has been meeting online since March because in person meetings at the Civic Centre have been deemed unsafe due to the global pandemic.
There is no timetable for when councillors are going to be in the same room again. At a council meeting earlier this week Chatham councillor Michael Bondy expressed his frustration at council not meeting in-person
“I’m not a fan of these virtual meetings at all, and I know the public is not a fan of these council meetings being virtually held,” Bondy said.
Bondy said council meetings could be held safely at a large municipal building, such as the Bradley convention centre or arenas.
“We can probably all agree that live meetings not only benefit council, but also can benefit the public who can view it,” Bondy said.
Clerk Judy Smith said there are still provincial guidelines which permit how many people are allowed to gather inside. She also said modifications would have to been done in the council chambers if and when council meets again in-person.
She said they are looking at the possibility of having hybrid type meetings as well as other options.
“We haven’t abandoned the council chambers yet, but we are still looking to keep everyone safe and follow the provincial rules.”
