Committee debates tighter remote-participation rules, tables item for revisions

Councilors on May 20 reviewed a proposed amendment to Everett Citys remote-participation rule aimed at clarifying when council members may participate virtually.

Dave Flood, who helped draft the proposal, told the committee the change would align the councils rule with state open-meeting law while allowing the city to be more restrictive than pandemic-era state guidance. Flood said the current temporary state rules have limited permissible remote participation to very specific emergency reasons and that the committees proposal narrows and clarifies those grounds.

Councilors debated whether to add explicit language giving the council president discretion to permit remote participation in particular cases. Councilor Rogers said the discretion should be available "because they're the point of remote participation" but warned it must be written to avoid favoritism. Councilor Smith and others urged clear objective criteria so remote attendance is not used "merely as a matter of convenience." Councilor Van Campen described the unreasonably difficult language as intended for involuntary circumstances (for example, cancelled flights).

After discussion, Councilor Smith moved to lay the matter on the table for two weeks to work with Flood on revised language; the committee voted to table the item and asked Flood and council staff to return with amendments.