Residents Support Hybrid In-Person/Online Public Meetings

Due to COVID-19 restrictions implemented more than a year ago, local governments were forced to shift from in-person public meetings to online meetings – mostly via Zoom. Many people – including Newtown Township employees, supervisors, committee members, etc. – learned new tools and technologies in order to continue to work and support their constituents.

Now that COVID-19 restrictions are no longer in place and as more people are fully vaccinated, townships are returning to live in-person meetings. Not all people, however, feel safe attending live meetings.

In-Person is a Hardship for Some

A member of Newtown Township’s Planning Commission, for example, refused to attend an all-live meeting. “I cannot and will not be going into any interior space with people that I cannot be 100% assured are fully vaccinated,” the committee member said. “There have been peer-reviewed medical studies about immune-compromised people like myself not having the maximum immune response to the vaccines; and with my co-morbidities, I am unwilling to put my life on the line.”

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As reporter in the July 9, 2021, issue of the New York Times, Pfizer said vaccine efficacy “may decline six months after immunization and booster doses may be needed to fend off virus variants” such as the Delta variant, which has now become the dominant variant. Citing data from Israel, Pfizer and BioNTech suggested their vaccine’s efficacy “in preventing both infection and symptomatic disease has declined six months post-vaccination.” Noting the rise of Delta and other variants, the companies said that “a third dose may be needed within 6 to 12 months after full vaccination.”

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There are other reasons why some people cannot attend in-person meetings. Two members of Newtown’s Technology & Communications Committee, for example, announced just minutes before a recent meeting that they were unable to attend. One had to deal with a flat tire and another had to take care of his children the night of the meeting. Luckily, we were able to provide them access via Zoom although there was some criticism – unwarranted, I believe – of the use of personal computers to provide that capability (the township did not have time to set up the necessary equipment).

The “Hybrid” In-Person/Online Solution

The general public also is faced with similar problems attending live meetings. Consequently, some municipalities such as Middletown Township are hosting hybrid in-person/online public meetings whereby the public can attend and be heard (read “Middletown Township Hosts Successful ‘Hybrid’ Public Meetings”). It is impressive that Middletown’s supervisor Zoom webinar meetings include live Youtube streaming video in addition to Cable TV access.

In a Guest Opinion published in the July 2, 2021, issue of the Bucks County Courier Times, Perkasie Borough council member Scott Bomboy said “we saw a notable increase in video views for our live and recorded Zoom and YouTube meetings during COVID-19 compared with in-person meetings held at borough hall before the pandemic. Neighboring towns probably saw the same increase.” At one Newtown Zoom supervisor meeting there were nearly100 attendees, which exceeds the seating capacity of the public meeting room.

Obviously, hybrid in-person/online meetings allow more citizens to participate in the process, “especially those who face physical barriers attending in-person meetings, increasing civic engagement,” said Bomboy, who added “and unedited [Zoom] video recorded meetings also would benefit the free press and allow for a broader public discussion of issues.”

The Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) gave its members the following advice, regarding “hybrid” meetings:

"Township officials should keep in mind that Act 15 of 2020 allowed all local government types to conduct fully virtual or teleconference meetings while the governor’s emergency disaster declaration was in effect," said PSATS. "Since the disaster declaration was terminated with the passage of HR 106, townships of the second class may go back to pre-declaration conditions and conduct in-person or hybrid meetings. Hybrid meetings must have a physical meeting location where the public may attend in-person, as well as a virtual option, and supervisors may participate in-person or virtually. While some other local government codes have specific requirements for an in-person quorum, the Second Class Township Code does not have any such provisions. The Sunshine Law does require a physical meeting location for the public to participate."

Survey Results

Given that many Newtown residents (and unpaid volunteer committee members) lead busy lives, I believe it would be a good idea for Newtown Township to implement hybrid public meetings to allow parents of young children, senior and disabled citizens, and other residents the option to attend remotely.

To gauge public opinion regarding this issue, I am hosting my own "Hybrid In-Person/Online Public Meetings Survey" that asks one simple question: “Do you favor the implementation of hybrid in-person/online township public meetings where officials meet in person as before COVID-19 but the public has the option to participate remotely via Zoom (or other technology) or in person?”

To date (July 9, 2021), 70 responses have been collected. The majority (89%, 62) of those responses were from Newtown Township residents. Other responses came from residents of Newtown Borough and other nearby townships, including Langhorne, Solebury, & Holland. The results are shown in Figure 1 below. Obviously, an overwhelming majority of respondents favor hybrid meetings as defined by this survey.

Respondent Comments in Favor

The following are comments from respondents who answered “Yes” (in favor of hybrid meetings).

1. This fall or winter could bring another wave of Covid 19, according to the CDC. And as horrible as it may be to consider, we could be hit with another contagious virus in the future. Better to make the zoom option the new normal.
2. Please don’t exclude us!! I have spent almost needs children and it's hard enough to work let alone go to mtgs.
3. 100% favor giving the public the opportunity to ease back into the normalcy of live F2F meeting.....while also keeping the technology of Zoom, alive and well.
4. Anything that makes meetings more accessible is a good thing for all.
5. Communication availability through all possible formats should be the goal. We live in the 21st Century, not the 18th!
6. Contrary to popular media and opinion, masks are a very poor form of protection. They not only leak both ways, but the virus molecules are much smaller than the masks can block unless it's a medical/surgical mask.
7. Definitely should be an option going forward. Not everyone can attend in person as many have work to do that work from home or are self-employed. Also cable cutters can not get the televised broadcast of the meeting. The more people informed on what's going on in the township, the better.
8. Great idea that allows more participation by the community.
9. Greater attendance. Also many times people have childcare issues making it unable to attend in person. Hybrid gives option.
10. hybrid meetings for all attenders allows participation of those who cannot drive at night or choose to remain remote for health reasons.
11. I am in favor of "hybrid" public meetings to make it easier for busy residents to attend public meetings. Now that many people are familiar with Zoom, the technology no longer is a problem even for elderly residents who are not able to travel to these meetings and busy young families with children. Hybrid meetings offer the best of both worlds.
12. appreciate a remote dial in when I get stuck at work or weather bad
13. I love the online option!! I just can’t make it to in person and this makes me feel I clouded from afar!
14. I saw some of the comments you published which were against this idea, and none of them hold water: “No one goes to the Meetings Anyway, either in person or ZOOM!” … Well, how about trying it for a year, and if "no one" attends online, then you can end the experiment and end Zoom. I don't think that will be the case, but there's no reason offered for why it shouldn't be tried. “Bring back in person. Sick of anything ‘tele-’”…Well, the meetings WILL be in person. Zoom would be for those who prefer it. For those "sick of anything 'tele-' " they can come in person. Why penalize others because you don't want to do it online? No reason given for a downside to allowing people to also choose to participate online… The pandemic happened. The Zoom revolution happened. People are leaving jobs in record numbers because they don't want to go back to "the way it was" now that it's been shown things can often work in alternate ways. The genie can't be put back into the bottle. I can't see any harm in holding in-person meetings, which also allow people to watch online, and to participate online in the same manner in which they'd participate in person (e.g. registration to speak, time limits, etc.)
15. I think that the more residents that can participate, the better. So many people are unable to attend in person. Just like voting!
16. I think the meetings will get more participants if there is an option to participate remotely. Also, you can still participate even if you are not feeling well enough to join in person.
17. I would also consider allowing officials to make use of the technology as an exception like your "Stuff happens" comment, but maybe not as a rule. When asking this question to residents I think it would be good to layout the impacts of this, from a cost perspective, limitations, etc.
18. More could participate remotely! Now that we understand the Zoom technology, use it. Also the pandemic is not over, many are unvaccinated and refuse to wear a mask. So in the interest of public safety, keep the hybrid meetings. Thanks!
19. my experience this past year is a lot of people are more comfortable via zoom. Public speaking can be very intimidating. It appears to have increased attendance
20. These meetings should be available in-person as well as via Zoom. The technology makes it possible for greater participation by those not able to attend at the Township building. Why go backwards in time?!?
21. Yes, make it convenient for those that like in-person meetings vs. those that prefer remote. Just ensure that remote participants can fully participate.

Comments Against

The following are comments from respondents who answered “No” (NOT in favor of hybrid meetings).

1. Sick of anything “tele-“
2. Covid was an exception. In person meeting have been happening forever. Now that things are getting back to “normal”, meetings should be in person.
3. Enough with this stupidness... get back to i person everything!!!
4. No one goes to the Meetings Anyway, either in person or ZOOM !
5. Useless effort- nobody is attending the Zoom unless an agenda item directly impacts them. If that’s the case they come in person.

It’s possible that these people believed that there would be NO in-person option, which is not what the survey was about.

Do It Right!

One respondent who was "not sure" submitted a comment that explained why he/she was unsure: "Needs to be a clear protocol when and why meetings will be cancelled. Clear protocol on Zoom attendance rules vs in person rules- must be equal."

By law public meetings need to be advertised - or posted to the township website - at least 24 hours prior. This applies to cancellations as well. Beyond that, virtual meetings must follow the same protocol as in-person meetings and allow attendees to make comments for the public record. Newtown Township officials and committee members have had months of experience hosting and running public Zoom meetings. Consequently, these public access requirements can easily be met.

If you already have taken this survey, THANK YOU! If NOT, please take two minutes to respond to it now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KKDF5C5

Afterward you will be able to see a summary of up-to-date results (to protect the privacy of respondents, no comments are included in the summary).

Further Reading:

• "Incorporating Zoom Into Live BOS Meetings"
• Newtown Township will receive over $2 million in COVID Relief funds -half now and half in 2022. Among the permitted uses for these funds is "construction for larger meeting space or technology for remote meetings." Read more: "How Should Newtown Spend COVID-19 Relief Money?"