FOR WEEKS, MANY BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS HAVE TRANSITIONED TO
WORKING ONLINE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND NOW LOCAL
MUNICIPAL LEADERS ARE USING TECHNOLOGY TO ENGAGE THEIR
COMMUNITIES.
IN EASTHAMPTON, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ARE TRYING TO KEEP
THE PUBLIC INVOLVED THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN ITS REMOTE
MEETINGS.
"CONNECTING POINT'S" ROSS LIPPMAN TAKES US TO THE CITY'S
FIRST ATTEMPT AT A REMOTE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC, AND SHOWS US THE EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS
STILL HAVE A VOICE DURING THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES.
>> ACROSS THE SUMMIT FROM THE MOUNTAIN SITS THIS SCENIC VIEW
OF EASTHAMPTON AND DESPITE ITS POPULATION OF 16,000, LOOKS A
LOT SMALLER THESE DAYS.
BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED.
RESTAURANTS TAKE OUT ONLY, AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME
SOCIALLY DISTANT FISHERMEN, THIS SITE IS FAR FROM NORMAL.
IT CAN MAKE RESIDENTS FEEL PRETTY REMOVED FROM ONE ANOTHER.
ACROSS THE STREET, CITY OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO MAKE
SURE ITS RESIDENTS DON'T FEEL REMOVED FROM THEM.
>> SO GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE EASTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL
MEETING FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1st, 2020.
>> ON APRIL 1st, EASTHAMPTON HELD ITS SECOND CITY COUNCIL
MEETING SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC TOOK HOLD IN THE U.S.
[RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
>> THE DIFFERENCE THIS TIME IS THIS ZOOM MEETING IS ACCESSIBLE
FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK OUT.
>> I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE AND HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
>> ASK QUESTIONS.
>> WHAT CONCERNS ME IN SOME WAYS IS THE QUESTION: DO YOU THINK
THERE'S ANY OTHER EFFORTS THAT WE CAN DO?
>> AND STAY UPDATED ON HOW THE CITY IS RESPONDING IN SUCH AN
UNPRECEDENTED TIME.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING THE SHARING OF
INFORMATION IN THE CITY.
>> ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES.
THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO SAY OPERATIONS AS USUAL AREN'T GOING
TO WORK SO YOU JUST WAIT.
THIS IS ABOUT OPERATIONS ARE CONTINUING AS NORMAL AND YOU
HAVE A PLACE AND A VOICE IN YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
>> EASTHAMPTON MAYOR NICOLE LACHAPELLE WAS INSISTENT THAT
DESPITE THE REMOTE MEETINGS, THE PUBLIC REMAIN ACTIVE
PARTICIPANTS.
>> WHAT ARE WE DOING?
ARE OUR PUBLIC PARKS POSTED?
CAN WE POST THEM?
MAYBE THEY HAVE BEEN ALREADY TO STAY AWAY FROM THOSE AREAS?
>> YES, SO OUR PARKS ARE CLOSED.
OUR PLAYGROUNDS ARE CLOSED.
THERE'S ROPES AND SIGNS AND SOME A-FRAME SIGNS SAYING PLAYGROUND
CLOSED.
>> IN EASTHAMPTON, WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE AND THE SOCIAL
DISTANCING AMONG OUR RESIDENTS WAS A LITTLE MORE VIGILANT, BUT
WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
>> IN ADDITION TO ENSURING THE PUBLIC CAN BE INVOLVED IN CITY
MEETINGS, THE EASTHAMPTON WEBSITE INCLUDES COVID-19
RESOURCES LIKE THE CITY'S SITUATION AWARENESS DAILY REPORT
WHICH HAS BEEN UPDATED EVERY DAY SINCE MARCH 12th.
WHAT YOU WON'T SEE IN THE REPORT IS A LIST OF CONFIRMED CASES IN
EASTHAMPTON.
>> THE INFORMATION THE CITY HAS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CASES IN
EASTHAMPTON OR THE SPREAD OR THE CURVE, WE HAVE THE SAME
RESOURCES THAT YOU DO.
SO WE GO TO THE CDC WEBSITE.
WE GO TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WEBSITE AND WE GO
TO MASS.GOV. AND IN MY DAILY REPORT, THERE IS
A LINK SPECIFIC TO THE DAY AND YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT AND THE
INFORMATION YOU SEE ON THAT LINK FROM THE MASS.GOV COVID-19
WEBSITE IS THE EXACT INFORMATION I GET IN AN E-MAIL.
>> THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING LASTED JUST SHY OF TWO HOURS
WITH SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC JOINING.
>> KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND, YOU KNOW, SO I FEEL VERY STRONGLY
THAT ANY INFORMATION THAT THE CITY HAS SHOULD BE SHARED WITH
US.
>> JUST GLAD THAT YOU'RE GETTING THIS TOGETHER AND YOU'RE DOING
IT.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING AND SOMETHING AT LEAST -- AT LEAST
SOMETHING GOOD COMES FROM SOMETHING TERRIBLE THAT PEOPLE
CAN BE MORE CONNECTED.
>> IT'S A START.
>> SO THANK YOU.
>> AS THE CITY HOPES MORE PEOPLE JOIN IN THE WEEKS TO COME.
DIALOGUE BETWEEN CITY OFFICIALS AND EASTHAMPTON RESIDENTS.
>> EVERY HOUR, SOMETHING CHANGES.
AND IT SEEMS THAT WAY BECAUSE IT DOES CHANGE.
>> ACCORDING TO MAYOR LACHAPELLE IS ESSENTIAL FOR TRANSPARENCY
AND PUBLIC TRUST.
>> OPENING UP NEW FORMS OF COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION AS FAST AS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO I THINK REALLY GOES
TO CEMENTING THAT TRUST BETWEEN USEFUL GOVERNMENT AND THE
PUBLIC. ♪
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