Columbia City Council will hold slimmed down meetings to lessen coronavirus risk
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Spooked by the possible spread of coronavirus, Columbia City Council voted on Tuesday to modify its meeting schedule so fewer people need to be there.
Starting with Tuesday night’s regular council meeting, only the mayor and three council members would need to be present for a city council meeting — a bare majority and the minimum necessary for a quorum. The other three council members would call into the meeting.
Only essential city staff will come to the meetings, and the public will be actively discouraged from attending the meetings at Columbia’s city hall. While the public won’t be barred from attending council meetings, the public will be asked to watch a livestream of the meetings instead.
The decision comes as South Carolina has reported seven cases of coronavirus since Friday, the latest in a nationwide outbreak.
The vote was unanimous at an afternoon work session Tuesday, with council members Will Brennan and Ed McDowell voting by phone — an advance preview of how council meetings will operate for the foreseeable future. Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine was also traveling and unavailable Tuesday.
“What kind of leadership could we show as a region to do everything we possibly could to stave off the effects, especially for older citizens and people affected by pre-existing medical conditions,” said Mayor Steve Benjamin on Tuesday. “Even if someone thinks we’re overreacting, if it saves one life, it’s worth it.”
The ordinance approved Tuesday will remain in effect for 60 days or until council votes to repeal it.
Benjamin pointed out that many public bodies already allow members to call into meetings they don’t physically attend.
Councilman Howard Duvall said the main change voted on Tuesday is to allow members to also participate in closed-door executive sessions via phone calls.
Duvall said members of the public are still encouraged to participate in city business, but only “If you want to look at us on TV or give us a phone call instead of coming to see us in public.”
City Manager Teresa Wilson said members of the public have the option of submitting comments online during live council meetings — a replacement for a speaking opportunity during a council meeting.
Councilman Daniel Rickenmann encouraged people to continue to go about their daily lives so that the city does not grind to a halt.
“We want to prepare, but we’re not in a panic mode,” Rickenmann said. “We just want people to be smart and make good decisions. We’re going to continue to operate as normal.”
Many are taking steps to combat the spread of the disease. The Kershaw County School District said Sunday two students are in isolation after they came into contact with a COVID-19 patient during a hospital internship. Five students in Richland 1 are also self-quarantining after coming into contact with someone being tested for the virus. On Tuesday, Clemson University also announced a non-student on campus was in isolation at home with possible coronavirus symptoms.
Earlier Monday, Richland County Council Chairman Paul Livingston said he’s discussed similar changes to county council’s meeting format with Benjamin. Both men attended a meeting of the Midlands Coronavirus Task Force on Friday.
Livingston said he will talk with other county council members and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control about making any changes to the council’s meeting format ahead of next week’s council meeting.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 2:57 PM.
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