(Image: City of Seattle)

Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez has outlined the city’s hybrid plan to return to in-person public meetings.

Juarez announced this week that the council will transition to the new hybrid, both in=person and virtual meetings beginning June 1st.

The announcement follows Gov. Jay Inslee lifting orders that allowed fully remote meetings during the pandemic. Municipalities across the state are now transitioning to new meeting formats. The King County Council will also follow suit.

The Seattle Times reports Juarez is recommending city employees remain masked during the new hybrid meetings and that guidelines will allow council members and committee chairs to decide how to attend and conduct meetings, while members of the public can choose to attend remotely or in-person.

During the pandemic, the council began conducting sessions using remote meeting software and transitioned to streaming the virtual gatherings and showing the sessions via television. Early glitches — including comically slow internet connections for some members — were mostly worked out in the first weeks and months.

The new shifts come as a spring surge in cases continues with Inslee himself contracting COVID-19 this week. “I am experiencing very mild symptoms and am most glad I’m vaccinated and boosted,” Inslee said. “I hope others consider getting their booster because it’s very effective in preventing serious illness.”

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