Council agrees to return to mask wearing at meetings

The Longmont City Council voted 7-0, Tuesday night, to continue in-person public meetings with their masks on if new public health orders call for in-door mask mandates.

Council members said they prefer seeing the faces of the public and staff members even if they are partially covered by masks.

The rise of the Delta variant prompted Boulder County earlier this month to “strongly recommend” that most residents wear masks indoors in a public setting, City Manager Harold Dominguez gauged council preferences should masks be once again required for the indoors.

“I just think Zoom cuts a lot of people out,” said Councilmember Susie Hidalgo-Fahring. 

“I agree with you,” added Councilmember Polly Christensen. “I think it’s far better meeting like this, even if we have to use masks.”

Mayor Brian Bagley said he favored switching again to Zoom meetings, because wearing a mask was too uncomfortable while trying to conduct an in-person meeting. 

The city council used Zoom for over a year to adhere to public health restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Council recently returned to meeting in council chambers along with staff members and the public as the pandemic waned locally.