HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 3/9/2021 - Memorandum From Jim Byrne Re: Evaluation: Virtual, Hybrid Or In-Person Council Meetings
Emergency Preparedness and Safety
300 Laporte Avenue
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
970.224.6107 - fax
fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 3, 2021
TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Kelly DiMartino, Deputy City Manager
FROM: Jim Byrne, Director, Emergency Preparedness and Security
RE: Evaluation: Virtual, Hybrid or In-Person Council Meetings
The purpose of this memorandum is to inform City Council on neighboring Front Range communities practices for
in-person, hybrid or virtual Council meetings to assist them in their planning for future Council meetings.
Background:
In response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in spring 2020, many municipal governments were forced
to operate their meetings remotely (virtual environment) and/or hybrid.
Other Front Range Communities:
Operations in Larimer County are currently allowed to operate under Level Yellow, which allows offices
operate at 50% capacity, and remote work is strongly encouraged. If COVID-19 case counts continue to decline,
Larimer County and Fort Collins will be able to move to Level Blue, which allows offices to operate at 50% and no
longer a strong recommendation for remote work. However, if case counts go up and Larimer County moves to
Orange Level, offices will move to 25% capacity with remote work strongly encouraged.
The Colorado Resiliency Office Peer Exchange discussed preliminary return to office plans. City staff will continue
to participate in these conversations and provide updates as new information becomes avaliable. City staff has
also reviewed public meeting practices from neighboring Front Range communities and the State of Colorado.
Name
Council
Meeting
Boards and
Commissions Other Notes
Loveland Virtual Virtual until further notice
Longmont Virtual Virtual until September
Boulder Virtual no answer
until further notice- the online calendar
has virtual city council meetings until fall
Greeley Virtual Virtual until further notice
Broomfield Virtual Virtual until further notice
Thornton Virtual Virtual only says temporarily virtual only
Name
Council
Meeting
Boards and
Commissions Other Notes
Denver Virtual Virtual
Larimer County N/A Virtual and in-person
departments are responding within their
own discretion; limiting the number of
people if in person; Board of County
Commissioners is mostly in-person
Weld County N/A In-person Board of Commissioners hold their
meetings in-person on the 3rd Monday of
the month at 6:30 PM
Boulder County Virtual Virtual
CO State Dept of
Personnel Virtual Virtual
CO State Dept of
Agriculture Virtual Virtual
virtual mostly until fall; might start travel
and in-person meetings in June if
vaccinations are available to the public
CO State Dept of
Education Virtual Virtual
Colorado Dept of
Motor Vehicles N/A N/A by appointment only
Next Steps:
With COVID-19 cases recently dropping, there is reason to be cautiously optimistic, and City staff will continue to
monitor public health orders issued by the State of Colorado and Larimer County. If the Council wants to consider
returning to hybrid meetings, staff can outline health and safety protocols and a proposed timeline to facilitate
the change.
cc: SeonAh Kendall, City Recovery Manager