County Council of St. Louis returns to virtual meetings due to COVID spike

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo – As this latest COVID-19 spike sweeps through the St. Louis, Chairman of the St. Louis, Rita Heard Days announced Thursday that the body will return to virtual-only sessions for the time being.

“After much deliberation, I have decided that, in the interest of our employees and the public, it is best for us to conduct virtual meetings starting Tuesday, January 18. I will evaluate review the situation in 3 weeks and consult with colleagues again to determine the best path forward,” she said in a letter released Thursday afternoon.

It is unclear how or if the panel intends to incorporate public comments into the virtual meetings.

Days says she made the decision after a majority of the council attended its most recent meeting on Tuesday in a virtual capacity.

In-person board meetings have become events with many participants and often passionate events, especially on issues of masked duty.

Meetings can be viewed via the BoxCast . stream. The county has moved away from streaming meetings on YouTube after the company flagged content that violates terms of service regarding COVID-19 misinformation.