Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Vince Fedoroff

EYEING A RETURN TO THE ROUTINE – City staff are looking at what it would take to have all council members present again for meetings in council chambers. Seen here at the March 23 meeting is then-acting mayor Dan Boyd, with widely separated city administration members.

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Photo by Whitehorse Star

WEIGHING THE OPTIONS – Acting city manager Mike Gau assured council at last Monday’s meeting that the work is underway on putting a plan together to return to normal operations.

Municipal staff eye eventual restoration of normalcy

City staff are beginning to look at how to go about returning to normal operations, city council was told at its meeting Monday.

By Chuck Tobin on May 7, 2020

City staff are beginning to look at how to go about returning to normal operations, city council was told at its meeting Monday.

Council heard as part of that work, staff are looking at what it would take to have all council members present again for meetings in council chambers.

Coun. Samson Hartland told staff a lot of the seven elected members are keen to get back into the regular seats in chambers.

He wondered if it could be done safely by maintaining the principles of social distancing and other measures to reduce the risk presented by COVID-19.

Any return to what the councillor termed as normalcy must be done safely or not at all, Hartland insisted.

Acting city manager Mike Gau told council city departments are conducting a soft analysis of re-opening their own operations.

As part of that work, they’re also looking at what it would look like to have all members of council back in chambers, giving the requirements of physical distancing, he said.

Gau said as they keep an eye on what other municipalities are doing, they’re putting together a plan, though they have nothing to report right now.

“But the work is underway,” he assured council.

Council chambers has been closed to the public since the March 23 meeting.

The mayor or acting mayor has been the only member of council present in chambers to chair the meetings, with senior administrative staff also present. All other members of council have been participating by phone.

Liberal house leader Tracy-Anne McPhee announced Wednesday the government is inviting opposition MLAs back to the legislature for five days at the end of the month to discuss the territorial budget delivered by Premier Sandy Silver in early March.

MLAs voted unanimously March 19 to adjourn the legislature until October because of the COVID-19 crisis.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the Yukon is holding at 11, with all 11 individuals having recovered with no need for hospitalization. The government, however, has not announced any plans to begin reopening the territory, as some provinces have announced.

Gau told council that staff are also looking at methods to facilitate maximum public participation in initiatives such as the public engagement sessions scheduled to gather input on the review of the Official Community Plan (OCP).

Staff are using the city website and social media as best they can to share information, he said, noting any submissions received from the public are posted immediately on the website, Gau pointed out.

He said staff are currently working internally on the OCP review but public engagement is scheduled to begin this summer and end in October.

The technology to facilitate video conferencing is available, though the city does not have the equipment nor staff trained on the equipment, so video conferencing is not part of the short-term plan, he said.

Mayor Dan Curtis said while the town hall meetings council has been hosting around the city are on hold right now, they are still very in the queue.

A number of council members expressed thanks to city staff for keeping the wheels of democracy turning and the business of the municipality on track during these unusual times.

Comments (5)

Up 8 Down 2

jim on May 11, 2020 at 5:34 pm

@Citizen Kane, I'm glad Sampson is anxious to get back to work. That's what we are paying these people for. If we don't need them, then get rid of them all. We expect the cashiers and other workers to go to work every day in a lot less controlled environment and for a lot less money than councillors in the City chambers. Looks pretty roomy in there and if worried, let everyone wear PPE. I find it somewhat amusing that our elected officials (municipal, territorial and federal) act like they are not essential workers and stay safely tucked away.

Up 14 Down 8

Citizen Kane on May 9, 2020 at 2:11 am

Why is Sampson so anxious to get back and waste other peoples money on hiring people to make decisions he was elected and paid to do? Shirk is mild.

Up 15 Down 8

Jonathan Colby on May 8, 2020 at 5:43 pm

Yeah, open the pools
That'd be a smart idea

Up 28 Down 8

Jc on May 7, 2020 at 8:58 pm

With computer tech today, there's no reason why the house can't sit daily with video hookup. It's being done everyday in other places. Why not here?

Up 27 Down 12

One One-Lesser-Voice on May 7, 2020 at 4:15 pm

Hope they open the CGC soon and reverse that road trail on the south access along the MT because it's silly.

The city is what it is and they fail miserably on trail planning and traffic issues and enforcing trail use and you name it. And it's not just me it's what other people say.

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