After being forced to meet virtually since March of 2020, the San Luis Obispo City Council met for the first time in person Tuesday.
San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon said, “It’s regular tonight in every way, with everybody having at least the opportunity to come back here in real life and exchange their ideas and concerns and solutions for San Luis Obispo.”
San Luis Obispo City Council member Jan Marx said, “It’s quite an emotional experience because I was elected in November of 2020 and sworn in during December. My only experience recently on city council has been via Zoom.”
The disconnect of virtual and remote work was put to the wayside Tuesday evening.
Marx said, “Zoom was strange, and it is a vast relief to meet in person with real people.”
Harmon said, “Especially for older folks, it tends to be more challenging and I totally get that. I was in a transition generation, I wasn’t born with technology, but I’ve had it early on.”
The interpersonal exchanges were brought back to life with regular operations returning.
Marx said, “With local government, it’s so important that people feel welcome and comfortable, and able to show up in person.”
Harmon said, “So much of life is about relationship and so much of relationship is all about all of the things that can’t be explained or named that are happening when we are together. I think San Luis Obispo has done an amazing job during COVID and we’re hitting the ground strong on this recovery period.”
Marx said, “This is the good ole way to meet in San Luis Obispo.”
For the general public looking to make a statement, people were required to be in person, or send their testimony in through email or snail mail three hours prior to the meeting.
