Cheswick is taking steps to hold borough council meetings by telephone if necessary during the coronavirus pandemic.

Council passed a resolution last week authorizing it and other boards to hold public meetings by telephone. The public would be able to listen in and comment on issues during the meetings.

“We will provide a segment of the meeting for the public to speak,” said Council President Paul Jack.

No meetings by phone have been scheduled. Council plans to hold its next meeting at 7 p.m. April 15 with the public able to attend in person.

Jack said that could change.

“We will have to work on the technology and format of how a meeting by telephone would work,” he said.

If Cheswick decides to hold a meeting by phone, they must advertise it at least three days in advance and provide residents with information needed to access the meeting, according to the resolution.

Cheswick is striking the balance between protecting public health and allowing for the transparency required of government offices, said Melissa Melewsky, media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.

There is no state law that addresses whether a municipality can conduct public meetings using a telephone system rather than an in-person gathering, she said.

“It’s an extraordinary time,” Melewsky said.

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records has issued guidelines on conducting public meetings remotely, she said.

Across the state communities are dealing with public meeting issues. A number of meetings have been cancelled.

But meetings dealing with urgent issues can’t be delayed and can “only happen in a public forum,” Melewsky said.

“Government agencies because they are essential, they will continue to operate as they should with the residents and taxpayers in mind,” Melewsky said.

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