By Jared D. Childress | OBSERVER Staff Writer

The Sacramento City Council will return to in-person meetings at City Hall on Aug. 9 for the first time since the pandemic in March 2020.

The Sacramento City Council will return to in-person meetings at City Hall on Aug. 9, meeting in its chambers for the first time since going virtual at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. 

Residents can attend in person starting Aug. 16, masks required. Regular City Council generally meet on Tuesday at 2 p.m. and/or 5 p.m.  For specific dates and times, refer to the 2022 City Council Meeting Calendar.

“I’m excited to come back into the chamber and give the public the opportunity to be heard in-person,” Rick Jennings, District 7 Councilmember, told THE OBSERVER. “I always want to ensure that we have safety protocols in place that keep everybody safe and not elevate the virus that’s been affecting us for the last two years.”

In addition to required masking, safety measures include capping chambers at half-capacity. The city will monitor COVID case rates and modify safety protocols in accordance with the Sacramento Department of Public Health, according to the news website for the city.

“We will adapt week to week depending on COVID cases,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg said. He added that council meetings will continue to be livestreamed and the Zoom commenting system will remain for those who prefer to comment remotely.