As the country prepares to gradually reopen businesses closed during the pandemic, Jerome Township is planning to do so as well.
During Tuesday’s trustees meeting, Director of Departments and Fire Chief Douglas Stewart laid out a plan for reopening township offices and steps toward livestreaming meetings.
At the close of business March 20, township offices closed to the public and the majority of staff began working from home. Trustees voted unanimously to reopen them no earlier than April 20.
Stewart, who has been working with the Union County Emergency Operations Center, said he put together a “tentative plan to reopen in May.” However, he warned that plans are subject to change depending on the circumstances.
“We could revert right back to where we are today,” he noted.
Stewart said township offices will be set to reopen to the public May 4, the Monday following the end of the Stay at Home order on May 1.
Meetings will continue to be scheduled on an “as-needed” basis, he said, and all appointments will be held in the large conference room instead of smaller settings.
He said he will talk with Zoning Inspector Eric Snowden about holding the May Board of Zoning Appeals and Zoning Commission meetings as scheduled.
“We don’t want to put a lot of things on the calendar… until we know we’re free and clear,” Snowden explained.
He also suggested cancelling or rescheduling all building rentals through May 17. The fees for any reservations that are not rescheduled will be refunded.
Stewart said the township will keep signs posted on the doors asking residents to use hand sanitizer when they enter to building. They also encourage anyone feeling ill not to enter.
Prior to offices reopening to the public, Stewart said staff will return to work.
Currently, he said Zoning Clerk Anita Nicol has been working from the office for four hours every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. She will return to the office full-time April 27.
Zoning Inspector Eric Snowden was also working from home, but will return to the office today.
Stewart ensured that staff will continue to maintain social distancing and practice good hygiene, even as offices being to reopen.
To make meetings more accessible to the public while the coronavirus is a concern, Stewart also presented quotes for the equipment needed to livestream meetings.
He shared two quotes from eGreen Computers of Dublin.
The first quote, for $8,220, would provide a firewall system and 10 security cameras with night vision throughout the township building. Stewart noted that this quote was approved by trustees last year, but a purchase order was not opened because the township was working through legal concerns with placing cameras in the hallway.
He said this quote, which would upgrade the township’s residential level firewall to a commercial one, is necessary to move forward with the second quote that provides livestreaming equipment.
The second, $5,300 quote would install a conference camera and configure a laptop and an external storage system for livestreaming meetings.
Stewart said the camera would be controlled with the laptop and could pan and zoom in and out during meetings.
The camera would likely be set up at the trustee’s backs, facing the podium at which residents or applicants offer public comment, Stewart said. But, he said individuals from the IT company would attend a couple meetings before deciding where the camera would be placed.
“It’s going to be trial and error before we hard mound,” Stewart said.
Eventually, he said he would like to reconfigure the room and add monitors to be used during zoning and other presentations. He said this is “the base of where we’re going to start” that process.
Trustees were each in favor of livestreaming the meetings. Chairman Joe Craft said he felt doing so would improve the perception of transparency among residents.
“I think this could help our image as a board,” he said.
Trustee Megan Sloat echoed his comments and said she wanted to ensure whatever option the township decided upon would serve the community “long-term” and continue to stream meetings after COVID-19.
The trustees approved a resolution that would allow Stewart up to $15,000 to pursue options for a firewall, security cameras and livestreaming equipment.
The vote was 2-0, with Craft abstaining because his business has a working relationship with eGreen Computers.