Public radio from Western Michigan University 102.1 NPR News | 89.9 Classical WMUK
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kalamazoo Meetings Remain Virtual, Despite Complaints

Kalamazoo City Hall - file photo. Photo by Sehvilla Mann, WMUK
Sehvilla Mann
/
WMUK

Some Kalamazoo residents aren't happy that city commissioners are keeping all of their meetings online. They say the Commission should hold at least some sessions in-person. At the Commission's last session, resident Jeff Messer challenged it to return to some form of physical deliberation.

"The voters are entitled to this information. It is because you continue to disenfranchise a portion of your constituents by refusing to move to some form of in-person meeting."

But Commissioner Chris Praedel says meetings should remain virtual while corona virus variants are surging through Michigan.

"The largest segment of increases is in people aged 30 and 40 years old. And so, we're definitely not out of the woods yet, and we have a bunch of people coming back from spring break right now. So, who knows how bad things will be in the coming weeks."

Kalamazoo City commissioners recently extended an emergency order allowing them to meet virtually during the pandemic. They plan to stay on-line only, at least through the end of summer.

Related Content