Berrien County Still Planning For Return To In-Person Meetings July 1

berriencountyadministration-84
berriencountyadministration-84

Berrien County will continue to allow elected bodies to meet virtually through July 1, although the state has lifted restrictions as of next Monday. During Thursday’s meeting of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners, County Administrator Brian Dissette said the administration committee decided not to change the return to in-person government meetings from July 1 as has been the plan for weeks.

“The bulk of the reasoning is the local units of government – the cities, the townships, the villages, and the schools – are still running with the assumption that with the Open Meetings Act, they can continue to provide that using virtual technology through the end of this month, at which time they’ll have to go back to in-person meetings,” Dissette said.

Dissette said local governments could run into complications changing their plans yet again. The county board, and all local governments in Berrien County, will be back in person July 1. Meanwhile, the county board will continue to broadcast its regular meetings on YouTube after the return to in-person. Committee meetings, however, will not be livestreamed.