The January 5th, 2022 Hoboken City Council meeting will allow up to 25 people in person, with social distancing, temperature checks, and face mask wearing enforced, starting with their January 5th session that will debut their hybrid meetings.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The bi-monthly council meetings have been streaming on Zoom, as well the city’s Facebook page, since March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Attendees are asked to arrive by 6:40 p.m. and will be allowed to enter on a first come, first served basis and will be expected to wear a face mask the entire time they’re in the building. Additionally, public comment will still be made possible virtually.
A handful of residents had called for City Hall, including council meetings to reopen, back in November, expressing dissatisfaction with the city’s appointment only system that went into effect on July 6th.
“I’m happy that the administration is listening to residents’ concerns. The wheels of government move slowly, I understand that, and safety is paramount for our city employees – I can’t stress that enough,” began former Council-at-Large candidate Paul Presinzano, who has been pushing to fully reopen City Hall for over a month.
“But everyone is at restaurants unmasked, there are photo-ops unmasked, and City Hall is hosting select events unmasked. City Hall is the people’s house. Face-to-face human contact is something that makes the world go round and is paramount to a functioning democracy.”
Since May, the Bayonne City Council, Union City Board of Commissioners, Hoboken Board of Education, Jersey City Board of Education, Hudson County Board of Commissioners, and North Bergen Board of Commissioners are among those that have allowed public participation in person to resume, with the majority still providing live streaming options.
The Hoboken mayor’s office said that the decision was made after months of discussions with the city clerk’s office, building security, and 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo – who has still been going to City Hall for council meetings since the summer.
Council President Ruben Ramos had called for the December 1st meeting to resume in person meetings, but was unsuccessful.
“It’s about time,” Ramos said when hearing about the plans for the January 5th meeting.