Meetings move toward hybridization
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M Focus on: Technology
By JANET PATTERSON | The Municipal
While the COVID-19 pandemic brought some aspects of life to a halt, it caused others to pivot and go in a new direction. Technology in municipal governments might be at the top of some of those pivot lists.
Special equipment and furniture are on order for the technology that will be used in 1872 city hall in Kingston, N.Y. The new equipment will allow full participation in virtual and hybrid meetings. (Photo provided by City of Kingston)
20 THE MUNICIPAL | NOVEMBER 2021
While cities around the world were in lockdown, the business of running a municipality continued by way of virtual online meetings. Some cities were ready to meet the challenge. Others had to quickly patch together a way to make that happen. Ultimately, a year and a half later, virtual meetings have become the new normal, and some cities have taken the adoption of technology to new levels. In Kingston, N.Y., city officials have found that more and more citizens are participating in the online meetings. “We’re realizing much more public engagement with the Zoom and YouTube meetings. People are able to see their city government first-hand,” said Mayor Steve Noble. “It’s really more convenient for people. They can make dinner, watch their children and still take in the meeting.” Sometimes there’s one item on an agenda that matters to a citizen. He added that being able to fast-forward through a recorded meeting means getting to that item without having to sit through perhaps hours of other business.
