Foster City to Host Virtual Public Meetings in January and February
For immediate release: January 5, 2022
Contact: City Manager Department, (650) 286-3220, manager@fostercity.org
In response to the public health concerns regarding hosting public gatherings amid the rise of cases and the increased transmissibility of the omicron variant of COVID-19, Foster City will strictly begin hosting City Council, Planning Commission, citizen advisory committees and other public meetings virtually for the months of January and February starting Thursday, January 13.
Members of the public are encouraged to join the meetings live online via Zoom by accessing the meeting link on the agenda. Those who join public meetings via Zoom will be able to participate remotely and offer public comment at the appropriate times. Written public comments for the record may be submitted in advance by 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting by emailing publiccomment@fostercity.org. The public may also watch the meeting live on FCTV at www.fostercity.org/fctv or on Comcast Channel 27 and AT&T Channel 99 and meetings are also available for playback at www.fostercity.org/agendasandminutes.
“We believe this difficult decision is critical to protect the health and safety of our community,” said Mayor Richa Awasthi. “Public participation remains essential to our commitment to transparency and good governance, so we urge residents and community members to stay engaged by joining meetings remotely.”
City Hall and other Foster City public facilities will remain open to the public during normal hours of operation, though masks are required by all visitors when indoors regardless of vaccination status. A variety of services are available online as well, which can be accessed by visiting https://www.fostercity.org/cityservices. Whether to begin hosting in-person public meetings again in March will be assessed on an ongoing basis, depending on public health conditions. The City Council’s upcoming Vision & Policy Summit on Wednesday, January 12 will continue to be held in hybrid format. Members of the public may observe that meeting either live online via Zoom or in-person in the Council Chambers. In-person participants are required to wear masks at all times and are urged to limit close contact with others where possible.
“We appreciate our community’s patience and understanding during this challenging time, and we hope to begin again hosting in-person meetings as soon as possible,” said Interim City Manager Kevin Miller.
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