ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced article.” It is an editorial by the editor
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” — An old proverb
I urge all township boards, school boards, village councils and city councils in this area to enable all residents in northeast Allegan County to attend their meetings virtually, via the Internet.
This realization has come to me while sitting in on just about all such meetings via the miracle of Zoom, Ring Central and Microsoft Teams, the applications that enable students to attend classes virtually. Though there certainly are downsides, as opposed to showing up in person, but the Internet has provided us with a useful tool in the face of this awful pandemic.
This idea isn’t entirely new. The Leighton Township Board Thursday night had robust discussion about this in a meeting in which area residents were permitted to visit virtually and the meeting was held in person at the Township Hall. The only real problem was that I saw only one attendee (Township Treasurer Jaci Bultsema) wearing a mask, though I’m sure I didn’t get a complete view of the meeting room.
The Martin Township Board called off its meeting this past Wednesday because there was only one item of new business on the agenda and because state guidelines insist gatherings include no more than 10 people. Yet the Martin Township Board had an in-person meeting Dec. 9 with no virtual option.
The Wayland City Council has been meeting on a virtual basis since last March, and it’s done a reasonable job of providing information to the likes of me. Ditto for the Wayland and Hopkins school boards and even the much-maligned Dorr Township Board, which gave virtual a chance for the first time last month.
This process has opened the door for municipalities to offer the virtual option to citizens, even after the nasty unwelcome Covid-19 virus finally has left our midst. If we citizens were allowed to check into meetings, we wouldn’t have to worry about driving in winter conditions, about showing up while sick, or about having to deal with the Scofflaws who refuse to mask up in confined areas.
So offering the virtual option would be good for the public health, would better enable that all-important transparency and would give citizens a better opportunity to participate in the democratic process.
I urge all area municipalities resolutely to adopt a policy with the virtual option, even in the post-Covid era.
