Washington County ends online meetings

FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County will return to in-person only participation starting with tonight's Quorum Court meeting.

Local governments have been allowed to use online technology instead of participants gathering in spaces where social distancing guidelines couldn't be met since a statewide health emergency was declared in March 2020 because of the covid-19 pandemic.

Washington County used the Zoom program to hold meetings throughout the past year, including three Quorum Court committee meetings last week. A link to sign on to the Zoom meeting was included on the county's calendar.

County Attorney Brian Lester said County Judge Joseph Wood decided to stop using Zoom. Lester said there have been persistent problems with the technology, including complaints from participants they were unable to hear others and issues with members not being recognized in a timely manner when they wanted to speak.

Lester said 14 of the 15 justices of the peace attended the March meeting of the Quorum Court.

"Last month all of the JPs except one attended the meeting in person," Lester said. "That JP said she had not had her second vaccination yet. With all the JPs back in person and with all the technical difficulties we've had it was decided it would be easier to proceed as normal with our meetings."

Lester said Wednesday the meeting room will have chairs for 26 to 28 people in the public seating area. He said since the state no longer mandates the wearing of face masks they will not be required at county meetings.

The county didn't announce the decision to end the use of remote meeting technology. The Quorum Court meeting on the April calendar did not include a Zoom link.

Some justices of the peace and members of the public said more advance notice would have been beneficial and suggested the county could continue offering a Zoom as a supplement to in-person attendance.

Sarah Moore of Fayetteville frequently attends and comments at county meetings. Moore said the remote meeting technology made government more accessible. Moore said many people still have health concerns and there are other issues, such as work schedules, lack of transportation, or the lack of child care, keeping people from participating in person.

"I have young children and I'm not going to take my children there," Moore said. "Right now what we have is working and gives people an option to attending in person. It allows us to have productive meetings. The equipment is paid for, the only ongoing expense is maybe a monthly expense for Zoom."

Eva Madison, justice of the peace for District 9 in Fayetteville, said she's concerned there was no public notice and also the Quorum Court meeting room can't accommodate large crowds and maintain the social distancing is still being encouraged, if not required. The justices of the peace are set to hear an appeal Thursday of a Planning Board decision on a permit to expand a quarry operation that has generated a great deal of public interest in the past.

Madison said she thinks the county could continue with both in-person and remote meetings.

"The notion that it's hard to go back and forth between people online and in-person is ridiculous," Madison said.

Patrick Deakins, justice of the peace for District 5 in northeast Washington County, said he is ready to return to "normal" and ending the remote meetings doesn't bother him.

"I fully support them trying to get back to in-person meetings," Deakins said. "I think our business is most efficiently conducted in-person."

Benton County Judge Barry Moehring said meetings in Benton County will continue to be held in-person and remotely until Gov. Asa Hutchinson's emergency declaration expires May 30. Moehring said Benton County guidelines call for employees to wear masks when social distancing cannot be maintained and he is asking that those guidelines continue to be observed during meetings.