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Stephens City adopts emergency ordinance to allow electronic meetings and suspend deadlines amid COVID‑19
Summary
Stephens City Council adopted an emergency ordinance in April 2020 enabling electronic meetings without a physical quorum, suspending specified procedural deadlines for up to 60 days (renewable to six months), and directing procedures for electronic public comment and recordkeeping during the COVID‑19 emergency.
Mayor Michael A. Diaz and the Stephens City Town Council adopted an emergency ordinance in April 2020 to maintain continuity of government and public input during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The ordinance allows council and other local public bodies to meet by real‑time electronic means without a physical quorum and prescribes public notice and public‑comment procedures for such meetings.
The ordinance, which cites Virginia Code § 15.2‑1413, § 44‑146.21 and related provisions, requires three days' advance public notice for electronic meetings except in emergency circumstances, mandates that agendas state the legal basis for electronic meetings and that minutes identify participating members and actions taken, and directs that electronic meetings be open to public electronic participation while limiting in‑person attendance. It also authorizes electronic solicitation of public comment for public hearings so that comments are included in the record.
The measure suspends certain time‑sensitive deadlines that would otherwise apply to local bodies, officers and employees during the declared emergency; the ordinance states failure to meet a suspended deadline "shall not constitute a default, violation, approval, recommendation or otherwise." It sets the emergency ordinance's duration at 60 days unless amended, rescinded or readopted, and specifies it may not remain in effect for more than six months without further action by the Council.
Jason Nauman, chair of the Public Safety Committee, convened an emergency committee meeting on March 14 that unanimously recommended the declaration of a State of Emergency and the procedural changes. The committee also directed staff to document expenditures and resources for potential FEMA reimbursement and recommended closing town administrative offices to the public beginning March 16 for at least two weeks; the town manager was authorized to procure assistance to complete FEMA documentation.
The ordinance text and accompanying resolution cite recent state and federal emergency declarations and public‑health guidance as justification for the temporary changes. J. David Griffin, town attorney, approved the ordinance language as to form in the record.
The council adopted the ordinance in April 2020 (the transcript records adoption in April 2020 but does not specify a calendar day). The ordinance directs that, upon rescission or expiration, normal public‑meeting practices resume.
