MAC Resumes Virtual Meetings… For Now
In-person meetings of the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) are expected to resume in January with a virtual component—but at its Monday night meeting, the MAC continued to express its frustration with delays in getting off Zoom and back in the flesh.
Despite its complaints, the MAC unanimously approved an extension of the current remote teleconferencing policy. The next scheduled meeting will be focused on Land Use items on Monday, November 14 followed by a general topic meeting on November 21. Both will be virtual.
Since the pandemic, MAC meetings have been via teleconference only, and though the county has said they'll eventually embrace a model which would allow for both in-person meetings at the Castro Valley Library and options to participate via Zoom or phone—the MAC says the process has taken far too long.
"There doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency," said MAC Chair Bill Mulgrew of the county's process. "It's discouraging. We are a community body first and foremost and it (Zoom) is lacking. It doesn't cut it."
Mulgrew added that months of delays in reinstating in-person meetings seem to be a result of the county dragging its feet rather than any actual issue that needed to be fixed.
"People would be unemployed in a New York minute if this was private industry," said Mulgrew.
Laura Lloyd of the Alameda County Administrator's Office said she understood the MAC's frustration, but that the process of creating the hybrid meeting format was more complicated than it might appear on the surface.
Lloyd explained that many departments including IT and security are involved and that the whole format also needs to be approved by the county's legal counsel.
"We need each location fully outfitted; it's not as simple as plugging in a laptop," said Lloyd.
Also, Brown Act requirements must be considered. Is it okay for a certain number of members to be at a meeting in person and for others via Zoom? Lloyd said these considerations that the county's legal staff are currently exploring. She added that some temporary state legislation regarding the Brown Act that was in place during the pandemic is sunsetting in January.
Lloyd further explained that all the county's smaller governing bodies—such as the MACs for Fairview, Eden, and Sunol—are also frustrated and the county wants a uniform meeting scenario for all of them, further complicating the matter. Lloyd added that the county is still under a local health order despite the loosening of COVID-related restrictions.
MAC member Al Padro pointed out that there are members of the MAC he still hasn't met in the flesh, despite being on the board for over two years, and lamented that COVID has become a "catch-all excuse" for too many issues.
MAC member Chuck Moore said that teleconferencing only is alienating to the public and may be discouraging to participation in local government.
"I feel these Zoom meetings are disenfranchising small groups," said Moore, pointing out that many in the Canyonlands have inconsistent internet access.
Lloyd promised the MAC an update on hybrid meetings the week of November 14, which will be further discussed at the MAC meeting on November 21. The MAC will decide at that time whether to continue virtual meetings through the end of the year.