This story has been updated with more information on in-person attendance.
The City of St. Albert will start in-person council meetings again on Aug. 17, with options remaining for people to join electronically.
On Aug. 4, city councillors approved council and standing committee meetings to resume in-person in a 6-1 vote (Coun. Sheena Hughes opposed). That same day, the city reopened front counter services for civic facilities.
The public will also be able to attend council meetings in-person again but will notice some changes to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Everyone in the public gallery must wear a face mask or covering, hand sanitizing stations will be available at entrances, and there will be health guide signage in place, including signs on chairs not meant for use to promote physical distancing.
While the gallery will be open to the public, the city is asking residents to continue making their presentations electronically over Zoom.
Residents who want to attend in-person are asked to pre-register beforehand as limited seating will be offered on a 'first come, first serve' basis. The city is developing a plan for surplus seating if needed.
To register, residents should contact legislative services before 10 a.m. on the day of the council meeting at [email protected] or call 780-459-1632.
Anyone coming to speak in-person will need to use cleaning products at the podium to wipe down the area after they're done.
While the council chambers and the public gallery will be open to the public, the city is still strongly encouraging residents to make their presentations electronically.
City councillors and administration will take a pre-screening questionnaire before entering the meeting room, and will be required to wear face coverings up until they take a seat at their respective stations.
In-camera meetings will now take place in council chambers rather than the council lounge, so if that happens, the public and media will be asked to leave the gallery.
Other municipalities in the region, namely Stony Plain and Strathcona County, are also resuming in-person meetings to some extent.
Edmonton has cancelled all regularly scheduled council and standing committee meetings until Sept. 1, Parkland County is doing teleconferences, and Fort Saskatchewan has no plans to resume in-person meetings.
Some councillors said they are looking forward to resuming in-person meetings again, while others felt more comfortable calling in instead.
"I do look forward to getting back together in person and I hope the gallery situation can work itself out easily," said Coun. Jacquie Hansen.
Coun. Wes Brodhead said he appreciated having the option of attending either in-person or electronically.
It's "always better" to meet in person, Coun. Ken MacKay said, even if there are some benefits to joining remotely.
Mayor Cathy Heron said many people in the community don't use Zoom, and offering a hybrid model is better for the democratic process.
Hughes said she would continue to attend meetings over Zoom "for a while" as she felt council could still be effective while meeting electronically. Resuming in-person meetings would also require additional costs and staff time to do.
"It sounds like a lot of work to have the same effective meeting in the end," she said. "I don't think this is money I want to spend into this."
Coun. Natalie Joly said she would support the motion, but she would likely be joining remotely most of the time.
"I know with my kids going back to school in September, they're going to get colds, and when they get colds, we're stuck at home for a couple of weeks," she said. "It's going to be a different budget season for sure."
