Among a grid of faces, a silent talking head is interrupted: âYouâre muted.â
Streamed live online or posted as video conference links, public meetings look and sound different from pre-pandemic town hall and school cafeteria gatherings. The global and ongoing COVID-19 health crisis has ushered virtual meetings to the fore of government operations, inviting public participation through screens and chat boxes.
In the year since the first wave of the pandemic, and like people around the world, public meetings have undergone a sort of existential crisis: What exactly constitutes an open, public meeting?
In the tri-county region, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence County public officials have logged onto Zoom Video Communications, YouTube, Facebook, Google Meet and Cisco Webex â to name a few â to do the publicâs business.
OGDENSBURG â City Council agreed Monday night to a three-year deal to provide security at Ogdensburg International Airport, but not before the chairman of the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority board made it clear the cost is high.
âThe Bridge and Port Authority considers the city of Ogdensburg to be our partner,â Vernon D. âSamâ Burns said.
The authority has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic and the closure of the Canadian border, Mr. Burns said.
The contract is very similar to the current contract and calls for $185,000 paid annually in monthly installments of $15,416.
Since the border shutdown, Allegiant Air, the airportâs low-cost carrier has ceased operations and reduced the need for security.
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