Rising COVID-19 numbers impetus for potential switch to Zoom meetings

By Jim Newell

Review Editor

The Lake Orion Village Council will consider declaring a local State of Emergency during an in-person special council meeting planned for 6:15 p.m. tonight, with the possibility of switching to online meetings or a hybrid option in the future.

Council President Pro-tem Jerry Narsh requested that the State of Emergency declaration come before the council during a special council meeting on Monday.

“You cannot go to a digital meeting without declaring a State of Emergency,” Narsh said.

Narsh added that the dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases in Michigan led him to bring up the possibility of declaring a State of Emergency. See the COVID-19 update on page 4 for the latest numbers.

The regular village council meeting scheduled for Nov. 22 was canceled due to a lack of a quorum and was rescheduled for a special meeting on Nov. 29. The council cannot add new items to the agenda during a special meeting, so another meeting is necessary to consider declaring a local State of Emergency.

If the council does declare a State of Emergency, it would be able to hold meetings remotely, likely as a Zoom meeting, or come up with some sort of hybrid option that would include in-person and remote participation.

The village council is scheduled to meet only once in December, on Dec. 13, and the village planning commission is scheduled to meet on the first Monday of the month, Dec. 6, so the State of Emergency declaration will affect only two meetings unless the council calls for additional special meetings.

The council does, however, have two public hearings scheduled for the Dec. 13 meeting, and the planning commission has a public hearing on a preliminary PUD plan for development on Elizabeth Street scheduled for its Dec. 6 meeting.

Narsh added he generally does not favor remote meeting options.

“I know it’s not a popular (option) and it’s not I’m not particularly in favor of; however, COVID is increasing, the numbers are rapidly increasing everywhere,” Narsh said. “I think out of an overabundance of caution for the community that we consider the December meeting to be in Zoom format.”

Under the current Michigan Department of Health and Human Services pandemic orders, local governments can hold remote meetings without violating the Open Meetings Act if they declare a local State of Emergency. That option expires Dec. 31, so if the village council does vote to make the declaration, only meetings in December will be affected, unless the state extends the remote meeting option.

Council Members Doug Hobbs and Michael Lamb voted against scheduling the special meeting.

“I’m not really that fond of the Zoom meetings, especially with developers giving presentations on very serious issues with the DDA and local development. I would like to face these people to speak to them directly,” Lamb said, adding that he would be willing to wear a mask at the meetings.

“I would appreciate Zoom meetings,” said Council Member Sarah Luchsinger.