Could future hold more remote government meetings in Lakewood Ranch area?

It was toward the end of the Manatee County commissioners’ regular meeting April 21, the first held virtually, when Commissioner Stephen Jonsson popped up through a social media connection to comment.

Previously in the meeting, some of the commissioners’ comments had been garbled by bad connections, or they had been passed over for a chance to speak because of some glitches. At times, a commissioner’s voice could be heard with no one knowing who was speaking.

“This is an awful way to do business,” Jonsson said.

But he quickly added, “But it’s a great way to communicate [during the COVID-19 pandemic].”

It is not business as usual during the pandemic because many government meetings have gone virtual to keep social distancing. As Florida reopens,  more government business might be done remotely.

There would be obstacles, such as a Florida Sunshine Law that requires “a quorum of elected officials to be physically present to conduct a meeting.”

Certainly, that could be overcome with changes to the law. Would allowing the commissioners or other government representatives to do business remotely save resources and offer benefits as a regular way of doing business?

“I think it is important that people meet in person,” Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said. “I would rather the commissioners would have to be there. We need to go back to what we have been doing because that is the way it should be.”

Using such a new system, some of the commissioners did have minor problems, such as failing to turn off their mute button when it was time to speak. At times, two or more commissioners would attempt to speak at the same time, and then there would be an uncomfortable moment of silence when they would stop talking to let the other person speak.

A voice would come from county staff members or those in the public who wanted to comment on issues gathered at the County Administration Building, and no one connected remotely would know who was talking.

Like the county, Lakewood Ranch CDDs have been using communication technology to connect supervisors without the need for them to come to Lakewood Ranch Town Hall as usual.

Anne Ross, the executive director of the Lakewood Ranch Inter-District Authority, said the new temporary format for the CDDs seemed to produce slightly increased meeting participation. She’s noticed a few more “audience” members joining virtually.

A workshop about choosing a potential vendor for a more automated gate entry system for the Country Club had more than 20 residents listening in — many of whom Ross did not recognize.

“I think the convenience of it is on the pro side,” Ross said.

Town Hall currently is expected to reopen May 4, in time for the CDDs May meetings. However, Ross said she will reconsider the opening date at the end of April. May meetings could be held virtually if deemed necessary.

In their meetings April 13-16 — meetings usually held at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall — the supervisors handled business using Zoom.

An auditor was selected to lead the meetings, and all supervisors from Districts 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, as well as Town Hall staff members, joined the meeting remotely.

Ross said homeowners associations’ meetings that normally have been scheduled at Town Hall have gone to virtual meetings as well. She said the transition has gone smoothly.

CDD 1 Supervisor Alan Roth had never used Zoom before but said the format worked well, and he was impressed.

Fellow Supervisor Preston Olinger said it was an easy transition.

“The beauty of it is I could see all the other supervisors on my screen,” Olinger said. “If you wanted to say something, you waived your hand. It worked fairly well.”

He said there were glitches. At CDD 1’s April 14 meeting, Olinger’s screen went blank twice and once caused his computer to freeze.

Ross said there have been minor glitches with Zoom because of demands on its system, but it has not been too disruptive.

Baugh said she never had used Zoom before. She said a feature to “raise your hand,” which signals to the meeting leader you wish to speak, has not worked well.

 “That’s been a little frustrating, but that’s minor in the scheme of things,” Baugh said.