Columbus City Council OKs virtual meetings
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Columbus City Council met virtually during the throes of the pandemic and now has the power to do so again when necessary.
Driving the news: Voters supported a charter amendment last November allowing for future virtual meetings. Council approved an ordinance last night confirming the change.
State of play: Ohio's open meetings law requires public bodies to meet in person, though the Statehouse granted temporary pandemic exceptions.
- Columbus is now saying the "home rule" principle allows a city charter to determine local meeting rules.
Zoom in: Council can now meet in-person, virtually or in a hybrid format at the discretion of its president so long as the public is given proper notice and is able to watch.
- While the ordinance makes reference to the pandemic, it does not require a public emergency to be declared in order to meet virtually.
What they're saying: Council President Shannon Hardin says the intent is to continue holding in-person meetings, while also anticipating future emergencies and allowing members to participate while home sick.
- "I fully expect that members will be here in person every week."
Of note: Last year's Charter Review Commission recommended this change, though it suggested only an "extraordinary nature of circumstances that could necessitate virtual meetings."
- The commission noted some residents without internet access "could be limited by a virtual format."