Village board meetings: Northbrook's staying remote, Glenview's in flux

Like everything related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, plans surrounding the next Glenview Village Board meeting remain in flux. In Northbrook, in-person board meetings are a ways off.

A lot of moving parts may make the Glenview July 7 meeting what Village Communications Manager Lynne Stiefel called a "hybrid model."

An initial thought was some or all of the six trustees, plus President Jim Patterson, may convene at Village Hall; some may choose to communicate remotely, Stiefel said.

Board Secretary Joanne McDonagh, village staff members and residents would participate in or access the meeting remotely through Zoom, the internet, or by phone.

On July 1, Stiefel stated in an email that Patterson would preside over the July 7 board meeting from Village Hall. Other trustees had indicated they would participate remotely.

Complicating the logistics is having a socially distant six feet of separation between each board member on the dais.

It's possible, Stiefel said, that another room could be used if it's outfitted for video access, as is the boardroom. The ultimate goal is to not spread the coronavirus. That has plans to host the meeting changing daily, Stiefel said.

"All of these things we're trying to meld, and we believe we're going to be successful in doing it, but we're still working on the technical aspects of doing it," she said.

"Needless to say the public will be able to watch the meetings by streaming it live on our website, on the GVTV cable channel and on Zoom."

In Northbrook, for the time being, board meetings will continue to be held remotely.

"At this time, we anticipate the village board will continue to meet virtually through the month of August. We will reevaluate these arrangements for September's meetings," according to Village Manager Richard Nahrstadt. "Both the board and staff have done a tremendous job adapting to our virtual setup, which allows us to remain flexible in our meeting arrangements."