Columbus City Council OKs virtual meetings

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."