Video: Bloomington City Council annexation hearing moved online to Zoom as Delta variant spreads; Some county residents express their opposition to annexation
August 4, 2021: Members of the Bloomington City Council vote to take a recess and then meet online on Zoom for a hearing as part of the annexation meetings, Wednesday, August 4, 2021 in Bloomington, Ind. The meeting was moved online after the Covid-19 mask mandate was renewed to to low vaccination rates and the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)
Video: Bloomington City Council annexation hearing moved online to Zoom as Delta variant spreads; Some county residents express their opposition to annexation
Just hours after the indoor mask mandate was renewed in Monroe County the Bloomington City Council canceled an in-person hearing on the city’s proposal to annex nearby areas of Monroe County into the City of Bloomington.
Members of the city council voted unanimously to move the meeting online as a precaution against the Delta variant of Covid-19, feared to be spread by the vaccinated as well as the unvaccinated.
The council chambers had already filled with a distanced audience in chairs several feet apart as the vote was taken.
Some members of the audience, who opposed the annexation plan, said they don’t have access to Zoom, or don’t want to use the platform, but spoke on video to The Bloomingtonian about their opposition.
The meeting then took place on Zoom starting about 4 p.m., and went for more than three hours, with more than 220 people participating. The city council listened to public comments and has now scheduled another hearing on August 11th at 6 p.m. using the same Zoom link from Wednesday.
The Bloomington City Council votes to move the annexation hearing public meeting online to Zoom because of the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19, Wednesday, August 4, 2021 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Video by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)
Bloomington City Council member Steve Volan speaks about the annexation hearing on the City of Bloomington’s plan, and why the meeting was moved online, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, in Bloomington, Indiana. The City Council voted Wednesday to move the meeting online to Zoom because of the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19. (Video by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)
Joseph Grott speaks about his opposition to the City of Bloomington’s proposed annexation plan, Wednesday, August 4, 2021 in Bloomington, Indiana. The City Council moved the meeting online to Zoom because of the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19. (Video by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)
Marianne Klapkowski Born speaks about her opposition to the City of Bloomington’s proposed annexation plan, Wednesday, August 4, 2021 in Bloomington, Indiana. The City Council moved the meeting online to Zoom because of the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19. (Video by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)
Photos
August 4, 2021: Bloomington City Council President Jim Sims, Council at Large, leads a vote to take a recess and then meet online on Zoom for a hearing as part of the annexation meetings, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, in Bloomington, Ind. The meeting was moved online after the Covid-19 mask mandate was renewed due to low vaccination rates and the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)August 4, 2021: Audience members listen as members of the Bloomington City Council vote to take a recess and then meet online on Zoom for a hearing as part of the annexation meetings, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, in Bloomington, Ind. The meeting was moved online after the Covid-19 mask mandate was renewed due to low vaccination rates and the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)August 4, 2021: Members of the Bloomington City Council vote to take a recess and then meet online on Zoom for a hearing as part of the annexation meetings, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, in Bloomington, Ind. The meeting was moved online after the Covid-19 mask mandate was renewed due to low vaccination rates and the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)August 4, 2021: Members of the Bloomington City Council vote to take a recess and then meet online on Zoom for a hearing as part of the annexation meetings, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, in Bloomington, Ind. The meeting was moved online after the Covid-19 mask mandate was renewed due to low vaccination rates and the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)August 4, 2021: Colby Wicker, of County Residents Against Annexation, at an information table outside City Hall after members of the Bloomington City Council voted to take a recess and then meet online on Zoom for a hearing as part of the annexation meetings, Wednesday, August 4, 2021, in Bloomington, Ind. The meeting was moved online after the Covid-19 mask mandate was renewed due to low vaccination rates and the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)
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