Pandemic has put more public meetings online, but not all have broadband, and virtual meetings may discourage input

When the City Council in Midway, Kentucky, has met virtually during the pandemic, no citizen has signed up to speak during its public comment period. (Jan. 21 photo from the Midway Messenger, which has the same publisher as The Rural Blog)

"It’s difficult to imagine that there have been any silver linings surrounding the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. But there has been one that’s been seen as particularly valuable to people who are concerned with government transparency: Public meetings in which attendees can participate remotely," Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene report for Route Fifty.

Most public meetings were once conducted in person, but the pandemic necessitated an increase in remote gatherings for local and state officials. Many entities are considering keeping a hybrid format even after the pandemic ends so people can come in person or participate remotely, Barrett and Greene report.

However, areas with low broadband access (which are disproportionately rural) may have a harder time taking advantage of virtual or hybrid meetings and making their voices heard, they note. Even in places with good access, the move to virtual meetings may have discouraged citizens from taking advantage of the public comment period. When the city council in Midway, Ky., was in virtual mode (which it just resumed doing due to a rise in coronavirus cases), no one signed up for the public comment period.