Homewood City Council held an online-only council meeting for the first time ever Monday, March 30, 2020.
For the first time ever, Homewood City Council held an online-only council meeting.
Members of the Homewood City Council and other essential staff were the only ones present in council chambers Monday night — each sitting about six feet apart — amid concerns about the spread of COVID-19. The rest of those who wanted to attend the meeting joined via Zoom, a video conferencing application.
The public won’t be able to attend any Homewood council, committee or board meetings in person for at least another month. Council meetings will be held April 13 and 27, but they will again be online-only.
“Unless something unexpected comes up, the plan is to do those meetings remotely,” said councilor Alex Wyatt. “Under the governor’s order, we should be allowed to do that as long as we’re only dealing with essential business functions and COVID-19 issues. The agenda will probably be limited to those items.”
All boards and committee meetings for April 2020 have been canceled. The next committee meeting is planned for May.
The consent agenda and public hearings were carried over to the first meeting in May. This includes the second reading of a controversial rezoning request for a house on Oxmoor Road.
The coronavirus has also affected Street Fest, an annual West Homewood event that began in 2015. The cancelation of this event was announced at Monday’s council meeting.
Each councilor made comments at the end of the meeting thanking various people for their services to the city. Andy Gwaltney thanked the city’s public works crew.
“As people have stayed home, you’ve all probably noticed the piles of discarded items,” he said. “I’m thankful that they’re out there picking stuff up. A lot of people are taking this opportunity to clean up.”
Britt Thames echoed Gwaltney’s comments.
“City services continue, so if you see a city employee, thank them,” he said. “They’re doing a great job.”
Thames was sitting on a bench downtown the other day when he noticed it was broken, he said. The bench was repaired the next day.
“It allows our restaurants on 18th to provide a place to pick up food, go outside, sit down and eat it,” he said. “So it’s more important now than ever.”
Mike Higginbotham thanked employees in the private sector who are still working during this pandemic.
“[They’re] making it possible for other people to stay home, he said. “Including restaurants who deliver and let you pick up and those clerks at the grocery store.”
Andrew Wolverton encouraged those listening to go out and support Homewood businesses.
“We have tried to do that ourselves, and I think I’ve literally gained five pounds in the past week,” he said. “That’s OK, I’ve got some time to burn it off now.”
Patrick McClusky also said to continue to eat locally.
“Whatever we can do to help out the restaurants and businesses in Homewood that are still open for business, please do so,” he said.
Walter Jones said he appreciated those on council for continuing to meet during the pandemic.
“Everybody’s striving for some normalcy,” he said. “Maybe it isn’t normal for us to all be scattered all over the room, but I feel like we need to come together for our constituents and tell them it’s going to be OK.”
Barry Smith thanked police officers, firefighters and other first responders.
“They’re having to deal with all kinds of issues, like trying to make sure people are staying apart on the [Lakeshore] trail,” she said. For all the weird things that they’re having to do that they don’t normally have as a part of their days.”
Jennifer Andress thanked Deborah Fout, the director of the Homewood Public Library, and Dr. Ellen Eaton for organizing a personal protective equipment drive for two weekends at the library. She also thanked the mayor and the chief of police for their work to keep the Lakeshore Trail open.
John Hardin said he is concerned for merchants in Homewood as the pandemic continues and urged those listening to keep praying for the city and country.
Peter Wright said many Homewood residents are on the frontlines of the pandemic at the local hospitals.
“I just want to take a moment to take them for what they are doing already and really to point out that they have weeks ahead,” he said. “You all keep those friends and neighbors in our thoughts and prayers as we go through this next month and thereafter.”
Visit cityofhomewood.com for information on the next council meeting.
