Why is Elkins holding virtual meetings?
Upon Mayor Broughton’s declaration of a citywide state of emergency on March 17, 2020, and based on recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control regarding minimizing infection risk during the coronavirus pandemic, Elkins Common Council temporarily suspended council and committee meetings.
This suspension was necessary because of the requirement, under the West Virginia Open Meetings Act, that the public must be able to attend any meeting of a city council or other governing body of a political subdivision in West Virginia. Because of the federal recommendation that people avoid gatherings of ten people or more, and because the City of Elkins did not yet have the capability to enable remote access to meetings, there was no way to proceed that was both legal and safe for the public and for city officials and staff.
After research and testing, city staff has selected the Zoom conferencing platform to enable remote attendance of meetings by city officials, staff, and members of the public. By using Zoom , anyone who wants to can join and listen to council and committee meetings by either dialing in (audio only) or by using the Zoom app or web platform.
Like many other West Virginia cities exploring remote meeting options, we have not found a satisfactory way to enable live public comment via this platform while still ensuring an orderly meeting. The best solution we can offer right now is that we will accept public comment submitted via email or telephone call/voice mail to the city clerk up to 30 minutes before the start of each meeting. Public comments received in this way will be read aloud at the meeting. (Please note that current council rules restrict each public comment to five minutes in length.)
Elkins City Clerk
Jessica R. Sutton
jsutton@cityofelkinswv.com
Phone: (304) 636-1414, ext. 1211
401 Davis Avenue, Elkins, WV, 26241
Mayor Lifts State of Emergency
In an order effective April 1, Mayor Van Broughton is lifting the citywide state of emergency he declared last spring in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Broughton’s March 17, 2020 citywide emergency declaration did not impose any restrictions on the public […]
Read MoreElkins to Seek Input on Rescue Act Funds
The city’s $2.9 million disbursement could come with significant restrictions Elkins, W. Va., March 15, 2021: In response to news reports that the City of Elkins is slated to receive approximately $2.9 million in federal funds through the recently enacted American Rescue […]
Read MoreElkins Returning to In-Person Meetings
Council Meetings will be held at Phil Gainer Community Center Elkins, W. Va., February 24, 2021: Elkins Common Council and its committees will return to in-person meetings March 1, Mayor Van Broughton ordered last week. Committee meetings will be held in council […]
Read MoreCity Hall Closed to Public in Response to Infection Upsurge
Elkins, W. Va., January 11, 2021: In response to the current upsurge in coronavirus infections, Elkins City Hall will be closed to the public until further notice starting Tuesday, Mayor Van Broughton ordered today. All city staff are to report for duty […]
Read MoreUpdate: Elkins Sanitation Department Quarantines
Last Monday, City of Elkins announced that “garbage pickup in Elkins may be delayed or disrupted over the next few weeks due to personnel shortages resulting in part from exposures to the COVID-19 virus.” Today, Operations Manager Bob Pingley provides the following […]
Read MoreElkins Garbage Collection Disrupted Due to Quarantined Employees
Elkins, W. Va., January 4, 2021: Garbage pickup in Elkins may be delayed or disrupted over the next few weeks due to personnel shortages resulting in part from exposures to the COVID-19 virus, City of Elkins Operations Manager Bob Pingley announced today. […]
Read More