Remote Meetings Will Continue During Pandemic
September 30, 2021 – Rowland Water District’s Board of Directors voted to continue holding virtual meetings and will reconsider the decision each month based on a new state law prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a special meeting on September 28, Directors were briefed on Assembly Bill 361, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, which allows local agencies to meet remotely during the coronavirus emergency due to health risks and social distancing requirements.
“While we are eager to return to in-person attendance, the safety and health of our Board, staff and the public are of the utmost importance,” said Rowland Water District General Manager Tom Coleman. “The pandemic, if nothing else, has showcased the resiliency of our Board and staff and I am very pleased with their ability to adapt and rise above the obstacles we have encountered over the last year.”
AB 361 replaces the governor’s earlier executive order waiving certain requirements of the Brown Act to authorize remote meetings and public comment. The law takes effect on October 1, 2021.
Under the law, the Board had to determine whether at least one of the following criteria was met: that local social distancing mandates are in place or meeting in-person poses health and safety risks. The Board concluded that both conditions were met.
The remote meeting option must be renewed each month starting in October and will appear on every meeting agenda for the Board’s consideration until the state of emergency is lifted or the Board decides to move to in-person meetings.
The next regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting will be held on October 12, 2021, at 5 p.m. For more information and to view AB 361 in detail, visit www.rwd.org.