City Council Minutes 2020 05 26 SP

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City Council Meeting Minutes May 26, 2020 Page 8 of 11 are important but he feels that shouldn't trump health and constitutional rights. The City should see if there is a way to resolve these issues. Mayor Stolzmann wanted to clarify for everyone that if there were in -person meetings there would still be a way for people to watch from home and participate by phone. She stated she supports an in -person option for anyone who wants to attend that way with an electronic option for those who don't. She stated she supports all public hearings be held at in -person meetings and continuing with electronic meetings for topics without a public hearing. Councilmember Lipton stated his concern that if some Council members are in person and some at home it would leave those people at home on unequal footing. We should try to handle as much business as possible electronically. He added things could change quickly in the next few months. Mayor Stolzmann stated she supports an in -person option for public hearings and she doesn't support moving forward with public hearings without that option. Councilmember Lipton stated many items with public hearings can take place electronically. He strongly objects to requiring in -person meetings for any public hearing item. Councilmember Leh asked the City Attorney if an in -person meeting is required for public hearings. City Attorney Kelly stated that in her interpretation, neither the Charter nor Code does requires public hearings be held in -person. Mayor Stolzmann stated she feels to be totally accessible there needs to be an in -person option. Councilmember Leh stated this issue needs to be resolved soon. We take public participation very seriously and want to meet the needs of everyone. Councilmember Leh asked City Attorney Kelly to research if the City has a legal duty to hold public hearings in -person. Mayor Stolzmann asked members who would be comfortable meeting in -person. Councilmembers Brown and Councilmember Dickinson were comfortable to meet in - person. Councilmember Lipton stated he is not comfortable meeting in -person as he is in the high risk category for COVID-19. He noted three members of Council are in this position and he finds it discriminatory the others would meet in -person without them. Mayor Pro Tern Maloney stated he is cautious of in -person meetings as well but we need to resolve this to keep the City's business moving ahead.