In-person meetings resume tonight for the Elk Grove City Council

For the first time since Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and District 3 Councilmember Kevin Spease have taken their oath of office, they will face constituents as in-person meetings resume.

Singh-Allen and Spease were elected in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not been in the presence of constituents since taking their oath in December 2020. Tonight’s City Hall in-person meeting starts at 6 p.m. and will be the first since March 11, 2020.

While Singh-Allen and District 2 Councilmember Pat Hume have been pushing for the resumption of in-person meetings, she met resistance. Most notably, District 1 Councilmember Darren Suen expressed skepticism that it could endanger public health.

During the February 23 city council meeting where it was decided to resume in-person sessions, Spease supported the return to in-person meetings. He noted all five city council members had been repeatedly photographed and seen on social media at public functions, often maskless.

Although the meetings will allow public participation in the city council chambers, the city will maintain the hybrid functions to enable people to participate without attending the session. Also, as it was previous to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the meeting will be broadcast over the internet, but that service does not allow for outside participation.