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Public pushes council to reinstate hybrid meetings; council asks staff to study logistics
Summary
During public comment several residents urged reinstating hybrid (in-person plus remote) participation to improve accessibility for those with mobility or language barriers. Council agreed to investigate procedures and moderation needs and to take a straw poll at the next meeting before making policy decisions.
Several residents and council members urged the borough to reinstate hybrid public participation (virtual speakers and register‑to‑speak features) so people with mobility challenges, language barriers or caregiving responsibilities can take part. One resident said remote access during the pandemic allowed people who now cannot travel to participate and noted potential language-app support for non‑English speakers.
Council members and staff acknowledged benefits and warned of operational complexities. IT and staff said hybrid is achievable but requires planning, registration/moderation, and additional staffing to prevent disruptions and to ensure real-time captioning. "When it's hybrid, you have other things you have to worry about… it will take time to identify that, run back to the computer and stop it," an IT staff member said.
Council agreed not to make a decision at the work session and asked the ACT committee and staff to prepare proposed procedures—covering registration, moderation, and technology—and to return recommendations at the next meeting after a straw poll to gauge council interest.
