CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Meetings of the Clarksville City Council, its committees and other City boards and commissions will return to being conducted in person after Gov. Bill Lee announced Tuesday he would not renew his executive order allowing local governments to conduct meetings electronically.
Lee, who declared that COVID-19 is no longer a statewide public health crisis, also removed the option for most local governments to mandate masks in public. He also is setting aside the “Tennessee Pledge” -- a set of state suggestions for precautions businesses could take during COVID-19.
Since March 2020 when many of Lee’s pandemic-related executive orders took effect, City Council and other meetings had been conducted using a mixture of some in-person and some online attendance by officials via online platforms. The public was urged to view the proceedings via online live streams or to replay recorded versions on various platforms, which will continue.
The first meeting to return to mandatory in-person attendance will be the City Council Executive Session scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 29 in the Council Chambers.
For much of the past year, Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett -- as allowed by the governor -- had issued orders that local residents should wear masks when in public places. Those orders were lifted March 20, but masks still were required in City, County and School System facilities.
Local government and health officials continue to monitor coronavirus cases, deaths and vaccinations. Covid-19 vaccinations are currently being administered at several sites in Montgomery County to anyone over the age of 16. You can arrange to drive-up or schedule an appointment for a vaccination by visiting https://vaccinefinder.org/.
The Montgomery County Government website and City of Clarksville website continue to offer COVID-19 related information, including a COVID-19 dashboard with updated information of the number of cases and deaths in the County.