By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


County officials are considering options for how to hold meetings in 2021 if there isn’t further action from state legislature.

At their latest meeting, County Administrator Nathan Burd told the Board of Commissioners that, as of now, starting on January 1st they can only continue holding meetings online if a state of emergency is in effect. Burd said, based on the state of things currently, that he felt like legislature was going to do that, but they haven’t yet, and he’d like to make sure they are prepared in any case. He suggested that the county could declare one locally, and by doing so that would allow them and other local boards in the county to continue virtually. Some members of those 20 Livingston County municipalities have, in fact, been asking him, about what was going to happen.

To continue without further word from the state, Burd said they would probably need a resolution by the end of the Commission’s December 14th meeting.

Other options for 2021 include going back to in-person meetings, or having hybrid meetings with a quorum present and others being online. Burd said there were problems with meeting in person because that would mean open doors for the public and if many show up there could be health and safety challenges. The decision to be made also affects not just the Board of Commissioners’ meetings, but all of the county committee meetings, as well.

Burd told officials this was all something to think about, and in the meantime, he will keep them aware of what’s going on at the state level.