Brentwood City Council to resume in-person meetings Dec. 13

The council’s shift to virtual meetings in early 2020 was originally a response to the pandemic and social distancing guidelines, but the council used the time to begin improvements to the space and its audio-visual equipment. In-person participation is “encouraged,” but the new equipment allows for virtual participation as well, according to the press release.

The renovation project was originally scheduled to be completed earlier in the year, according to city staff reports that projected that construction on the council chambers would begin on March 7, 2022 and the first meeting in the renovated council chamber would take place on May 10. The timeline was pushed further out due to now-resolved construction delays, according to Ogden.

The audio-visual equipment used by the Brentwood City Council prior to the renovations has been in use since 2012, according to a presentation made at the May, 2021 meeting by The Shalleck Collaborative Inc, a consulting firm hired by the city to “provide design and bid review services.” The new audio-visual equipment is intended to put a focus on hybrid meetings that will allow residents to participate both in person and via teleconference services such as Zoom, according to the presentation by The Shalleck Group. It also includes new, higher-quality microphones and high-definition cameras.

“As nice as all of the new hybrid technology is going to be, that will allow our residents to continue to participate via Zoom, I’m also looking forward to being in the same room with them as well,” Bryant said.

The city “anticipates all other Commissions and Committees will return to in-person meetings beginning January 2023,” according to the release.