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[Updated] The Pasadena City Council on Monday unanimously voted to reopen its City Council committees and commissions and move towards a regular meeting schedule next month if circumstances allow.
The move will allow the committees to have some involvement as the city continues to discuss how it will respond to the current health and economic crisis caused by the Coronavirus.
Locally many issues are discussed at the committee level before being sent to council by vote.
The EDTECH (Economic, Development and Technology) and Public Safety committees most likely will be the first two major committees to meet.
In the past major issues like the city’s minimum wage ordinance were discussed in council then handled largely in committee before going back to council.
The decision to reopen meetings could also alleviate the work of the City Council and streamline discussions on some issues.
The last two council meetings have been more than seven hours long. If circumstances allow the council will continue to meet at 2 p.m. and in mid-June could move back to evening meetings.
Committees and commissions have been shut down since the Coronavirus pandemic forced social distancing and other measures.
The staff report describes the meetings as a staff intensive process because of the need for Brown Act compliance and public participation.
According to the staff report, cities across the state are wrestling with the technology used to produce telephonic meetings.
City staff was unable to identify any city in the state that is back to normal in terms of public meeting frequency under the new teleconferencing rules.
“We have to allow for the public to follow the meeting and participate which definitely adds to the complexity,” Mermell said.
Under the Brown Act, meetings still have to be noticed and public comment must be allowed. Due to social distancing requirements, an order by Gov. Gavin Newsom has removed a requirement allowing the public to address the body at teleconference conference locations and other meeting locations.
The council has already resumed holding meetings in closed sessions
Last week, the Planning Commission met electronically for the first time since the city shut down council commissions and committees in response to the Coronavirus pandemic to discuss cannabis-related business.
The move led to criticism from some elected officials.
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