Berkeley City Council voted in a special meeting Tuesday morning to continue to meet via videoconference and teleconference formats.

According to the meeting agenda, the vote adopted a resolution to make required findings pursuant to government code to authorize virtual meetings. The findings must be renewed every 30 days, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín noted at the meeting.

Arreguín added that the council will discuss resuming hybrid city council meetings in the coming weeks.

“The most important decision that we have to make is how to do so safely,” Arreguín said at the meeting. “We will reevaluate on the basis of heath conditions whether it is safe to resume meeting in person. I do think given that cases are dropping that we should take a look at case rates and consult our public health officer.”

Public commenters voiced their support for in-person and hybrid alternatives. One commenter called hybrid meetings the “most democratic option” for civic engagement.

Following the public comment session, the motion was passed unanimously by all attending council members, including Councilmembers Terry Taplin, Ben Bartlett, Susan Wengraf, Rigel Robinson and Lori Droste.