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council.” e Englewood Herald reviewed the seven councilmembers’ attendance at regular city council meetings between Jan. 18, 2022, (the date when the Wink recall petition states she began missing excessive meetings) and June 20, 2023. ere have been 36 meetings in that time period, and all the councilmembers except for Wink have attended in person the large majority of the time. is “fantastic” and that she tries to be in person for meetings.

Of the 36 meetings, Wink attended 13 meetings virtually, attended 12 meetings in person, and was absent for 11 meetings.

Councilmember Chelsea Nunnenkamp held a distant second place for virtual attendance, attending two of the 36 meetings virtually. She was absent for one meeting and attended the other 33 meetings in person. ree other members of the council — Mayor Othoniel Sierra, Councilmember Joe Anderson and Mayor Pro Tem Steven Ward — virtually attended a regular city council meeting just once in that time period.

Sierra was absent for three of the 36 meetings and attended the other 32 meetings in person.

Anderson was absent for one meeting and was in person for the other 34 meetings.

Ward, with a perfect attendance record including his single virtual meeting, was in person at the other 35 meetings.

Councilmember Jim Woodward also had a perfect attendance record, attending all 36 meetings in person.

“ e boards and commissions I’m on are almost exclusively in person,” she said. “I will say, as someone with a job that requires them to travel, I have made it work in other countries, in other cities, to still be at these meetings because it’s incredibly important to me.”

“On the rare occasions that I have to do that, I like the opportunity to not miss a meeting and to still fully participate. And so I would be disappointed if we said there’s no hybrid option ever, but … as our policy manual states, the preference is to be in person,” she added.

Sierra said he prefers the in-person option but would still like the hybrid component to be available for both the council as well as for the city’s boards and commissions.

“Can city sta reach out to the boards and commissions and just state that, you know, we would like to have a hybrid model … at least in place, where you should be in person or at least get a room scheduled for each of these board or commission meetings (but) also provide a hybrid option?” Sierra asked City Manager Shawn Lewis.

Anderson said he thinks the city may need to update its policy manual that we must be in person, I think is — it’s gonna be tough on people that have certain careers that are active and that require them.

“I mean, loads of young professionals work remotely (and) won’t apply for our boards and commissions if there’s no virtual option,” she continued. “ ere are loads of young families that rely on these options.”

“So, for boards and commissions and for council, in consideration of those policy changes, you know — I mean, obviously … I understand your opinions,” she said.

Following Wink’s comments, Sierra said that from what he heard during the council discussion, there is a preference among the council to move boards and commissions to be in person but also provide a hybrid option.

“I think the same is true of city councilmembers as well,” he said.

“It does sound like, as Member Anderson stated, there is a need to update our … manuals to properly re ect what’s the expectation.”

Nunnenkamp added, “I agree with what you just said, mayor, but would like to be clear that I think the virtual option should be the exception and not the rule. ere should be an e ort to be in person.”