Chatham-Kent council could return to in-person meetings in September, but that may change if current models predicting the next wave of COVID-19 will hit in the fall prove to be true.
A report updating the COVID-19 vaccination policy for council and committee members discussed at Monday’s meeting initially recommended in-person meetings resume in September. The report, however, was referred back to staff for more information on what the modeling shows for COVID-19 in the fall.
“I have absolutely disliked having these meetings like this over the last two years,” said Chatham Coun. Doug Sulman.
However, he also raised concerns, citing recent media reports about Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, stating the most recent COVID variant is the most contagious, with modeling showing a “big step up” of infections in the fall.
“I’m just confused as to what the urgency is to go back to live meetings and that we can’t wait until we have a better feel for what we know is coming this fall,” the veteran councilor said.
Sulman questioned if the decision to return to in-person meetings is being made based on emails and phone calls in an election year or on the best medical evidence.
Pointing to other municipal councils returning to in-person meetings, Sulman asked if there’s an example of an 18-member council like Chatham-Kent’s returning to meeting in public.
“We’re a little different with a large number of councilors in a small area and we’re elbow to elbow when we’re sitting there.”
Cathy Hoffman, general manager of corporate services, said all of the municipalities staff spoke to about in-person meetings have much fewer councilors than Chatham-Kent. Most, she said, range from six to eight people.
When the report before council was penned, the COVID modeling was not trending in the direction it is now, Hoffman noted.
Hoffman said staff looks at September as “the earliest date that council might return.”
“But that is all subject to what is happening with the numbers as we approach that period of time,” she added.
Hoffman said council asked staff to come back with a report on when in-person meetings might return.
“I’m in full agreement it has to be provided that it’s safe to do so for 18 people to be sitting in council chambers.”
With only five more council meetings left before the municipal election, Sulman said he didn’t “see the rush to get back in a cramped situation when we know full well that modeling shows the contagion is increasing.”
Interim chief administrative officer Tony Haddad suggested the matter be referred to staff to await further predictions on what the COVID picture could look like in the fall.
“There’s no urgency to dealing with the September return, particularly if things should continue to deteriorate in terms of COVID activity,” he said.