Title
To Urge Governor DeWine and the Ohio Legislature to Extend the Deadline for Operating Public Meetings Electronically
Body
WHEREAS, on March 27, 2020, the Ohio Legislature passed House Bill 197, which includes a provision to allow state boards & commissions, local & county governments, and higher education boards to operate meetings electronically during the declared emergency but not beyond December 1, 2020, so long as the public is aware and can participate electronically; and
WHEREAS, Ohio has experienced a large spike of positive COVID-19 cases recently; and
WHEREAS, as of November 12, 2020, Ohio had approximately 68 counties at Level 3 - very high risk of exposure and spread - and 2 counties on the watch list for Level 4 - severe exposure and spread; and
WHEREAS, with the increase of COVID-19 cases and the deadline of December 1, 2020 quickly approaching, there is an immediate need to address the safety and security of local communities by extending this deadline; and
WHEREAS, legislation attempting to solve this problem has been bogged down with legislative riders, as some legislators put individual priorities above the safety of Ohioans; and
WHEREAS, the potential elimination of virtual meetings would impact City Councils, area commissions, historic review boards, and other public bodies across the state whose work is vital to a well-functioning community; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That the City of Columbus Urges Governor DeWine and the Ohio Legislature to Extend the Deadline for Operating Public Meetings Electronically