HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - February 28, 2022, Special Meeting of the Ames City CouncilMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL
AMES, IOWA FEBRUARY 28, 2022
The Special Meeting of the Ames City Council was called to order by Mayor John Haila at 12:00 Noon
on the 28th day of February, 2022. The Mayor announced that it was impractical to hold an in-person
Council meeting; therefore, this meeting was being held as an electronic meeting, as allowed by Section
21.8 of the Iowa Code. Council Members Gloria Betcher, Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Tim Gartin, Rachel
Junck, and Anita Rollins were present. Council Member Amber Corrieri and ex officio Member Trevor
Poundstone were absent.
Assistant City Manager Brian Phillips reminded the Council members that, on January 11, 2022, they
had adopted a temporary masking requirement for City Council, Board, and Commission meetings.
That requirement was approved in light of the surge in COVID-19 cases related to the highly contagious
omicron variant. The masking requirement was adopted in conjunction with a staff-implemented policy
requiring masking or distancing within City facilities.
On February 25, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance
regarding COVID-19 precautions. That guidance bases mask-wearing in public settings on community
COVID-19 levels by observing local metrics. The CDC guidance only includes universal masking in
areas with high community COVID-19 levels. According to the data released by the CDC as of
February 25, Story County is considered to be at low levels of community COVID-19 impact.
Based on the above information, City staff recommended that the City Council rescind the masking
requirement for City Council, Board, and Commission meetings, effective March 1, 2022. The policy
requiring visitors and staff to mask or distance in City facilities would be rescinded at the same time.
Moved by Gartin, seconded by Junck, to rescind the masking requirement for City Council, Board, and
Commission meetings, effective March 1, 2022.
Vote on Motion: 5-0. Motion declared carried unanimously.
Mr. Phillips noted that should the local metrics indicate a surge in community COVID-19 levels for
Story County, the Council may have to revisit the masking requirement.
DISPOSITIONS OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL: None.
COUNCIL COMMENTS: None.
ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Gartin, seconded by Betcher, to adjourn the meeting at 12:03 p.m.
Motion declared carried unanimously.
_________________________________________________________________________
Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor