Log in

COVID-19

Paradise Valley embarks on virtual governing landscape amid social distancing

Posted 4/5/20

As the March 26 Paradise Valley Town Council meeting got underway, the room looked starkly different than it did almost two weeks earlier.

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor
COVID-19

Paradise Valley embarks on virtual governing landscape amid social distancing

Posted

As the March 26 Paradise Valley Town Council meeting got underway, the room looked starkly different than it did almost two weeks earlier.

Rather than councilmembers surrounding the table in the Town Hall boardroom, empty chairs lay dormant around a cleared table. Amid the empty room sat Town Clerk Duncan Miller, who was busy at work ensuring the meeting’s new format flowed smoothly,

That format consists of councilmembers meeting telephonically or via video chat while also allowing for residents to chime in remotely. This new format came about after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner to declare a state of emergency in the town.

The federal and state governments have issued numerous guidelines to help dull the spread of the novel coronavirus. Many of these guidelines recommend people stay at home whenever possible and businesses close with the exception of essential operations, which the state outlined.

In Paradise Valley, the Town Council approved Mr. Bien-Willner’s emergency declaration at a March 17 special meeting as well as a directive for town staff to develop a remote plan to conduct meetings while still allowing for the public to participate.

Mr. Miller says Paradise Valley was already well-equipped prior to the pandemic to conduct public meetings while still adhering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social distancing recommendations.

“Public transparency has been a long-standing goal for the Town Council,” Mr. Miller said via email. “To that end, the council has made investments in technology over the past several years to enhance the public’s ability to observe and participate in meetings remotely long before this pandemic.”

Some of those Mr. Miller pointed to were the Granicus Government Transparency Software Suite, which allows the public to view agendas, minutes and meetings, both live and recorded. This system also allows residents to submit ecomments.

Other updates Mr. Miller highlighted was upgraded audio and video technology from a year ago, which allowed councilmembers to participate via Zoom Video Conference.

Mr. Miller presented a set of guidelines for town councilmembers and staff on how to participate in the meeting. The town will conduct other public meetings, such as Town Council, Board of Adjustment, Planning Commission and Hillside Building Committee, through similar methods.

Councilmember Paul Dembow voiced his appreciation to Mr. Miller and the rest of town staff that worked to make the meeting possible.

“What horrible times we live in but thank God that this technology exists so you can still have open and transparent meetings,” he said during the meeting. “Typical of you Duncan. You handled it in stride and everyone else who helped you, I don’t know the names of who did, but excellent, excellent job.”

How to participate

Mr. Bien-Willner said he believes it is crucial to what the town stands for to conduct its business in the public eye because the council works for the public.

“Public participation and opportunity for input is not only required under the law, it is extremely valuable,” he said via email.

“While COVID-19 has required the town to adjust how we conduct our meetings to keep everyone as safe as possible and follow expert guidance about not gathering in groups and keeping physical distance, it’s likewise important that we continue to do the town’s business effectively and in an equally open and transparent manner.”

To accomplish that goal, the town has distributed steps on how residents can participate in meetings. Those looking to view live meetings need to:

  • Visit https://paradisevalleyaz.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click on the calendar tab;
  • Look for the Town Council meeting and find the date; and
  • Click the “In Progress” link in the column titled Video.

The town has established three methods for participation: Zoom Conference; submitting questions and comments; and speaking during the call to the public and public hearings.

  • To participate via Zoom, residents can join the following ways:
  • Computer: zoom.us/j/6678902153; and
  • Telephone: 1-669-900-6833 with a meeting ID of 667-890-2153.

To submit questions and comments, residents can:

  • Visit paradisevalleyaz.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx;
  • Search for the meeting date and click “eComment”; and
  • Locate the desired agenda item and click “Comment.”

The town asks residents to submit request at least an hour before the meeting begins. Residents can also email Mr. Miller at dmiller@paradisevalleyaz.gov to submit comments but are encouraged to do so at least an hour prior to the start of the meeting.

In order to speak during the meeting, residents should:

  • Visit paradisevalleyaz.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx;
  • Search for the meeting date and click “eComment”;
  • Locate the agenda item and click “Register to Speak”; and
  • Join the meeting by dialing 1-669-900-6833 and typing in the meeting ID 667-890-2153.

If residents are attending via Zoom, they can click the chat button and enter their name and the agenda item they would like to speak on during the meeting.

Mr. Bien-Willner encouraged residents to contact Mr. Miller via email with questions and comments on the new format.

“Duncan Miller, Town Manager Jill Keimach, Sarah Meland, the town’s IT department and many other dedicated staff members deserve great credit for the great work done to allow the town’s public meetings to transition to the ‘virtual world’ so smoothly and effectively,” Mr. Bien-Willner said.

“The council and our boards are really doing a great job with this new format, too. I welcome public comment or input about the new meeting process or other town items as well.”

Mr. Bien-Willner can be reached via email at jbienwillner@paradisevalleyaz.gov or by phone at 480-348-3660.