photo by: City of Lawrence

The Lawrence City Commission meets virtually as part of its meeting on Aug. 10, 2021.

The Lawrence City Commission returned to meeting virtually this week, with only a few staff members present at City Hall.

The commission met in a largely virtual format throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and only recently had returned to meeting in person. Under the largely virtual format, commissioners and most staff members participate in the meeting via Zoom with only the city clerk, city spokesperson and a few other staff members present at City Hall. The staff present at City Hall allowed people who could not participate virtually to continue to provide public comment in person.

The commission began meeting in person again at City Hall on July 6, but it maintained the option for the public and staff members to participate in the meeting virtually as part of a new hybrid format. After the City of Lawrence reinstated a mask requirement in all city buildings on Monday, the commission decided to return to the largely virtual format. The mask requirement was reinstated because of recent federal, state and local health recommendations that even vaccinated people should wear masks indoors when virus transmission in their community is high.

At Tuesday’s commission meeting, Mayor Brad Finkeldei said that he thought the commission should continue to meet virtually until the mask requirement could be lifted, and other commissioners agreed.

Douglas County also reinstated mask requirements in its buildings on Monday but will still conduct meetings in a hybrid format in which commissioners are present at the County Courthouse and the public can participate either in person or virtually, according to county spokesperson Karrey Britt.