Like all of the Main Street shops who want to stay in touch with people and continue selling to them, the City of Beacon has been making progress in technology as well. Not only can you now pay your water bill online, but Beacon’s City Council meetings have moved to video-conference only, where council members are meeting from their own remote locations.

Each councilperson’s head can be seen on the screen, and the conversation happens from there, with legal updates from the City Attorney, and all of the regular answers from the City Planner regarding zoning. The meeting can be streamed live at a channel on YouTube, and the public can ask questions (when appropriate) by dialing into the number below.

The Video Conference Press Release From The City of Beacon:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that effective immediately and based upon notices and health advisories issued by Federal, State and Local officials related to the COVID-19 virus, the City Council will not hold in-person meetings. Until further notice, all future City Council meetings (including public hearings) will be held via videoconferencing, as permitted by the NYS Open Meetings Law.

Due to public health and safety concerns, the public will not be permitted to attend at the remote locations where the City Council members will be situated. The public, however, will be able to fully observe the video-conference meeting and comment during regular City Council meetings (i.e for public hearings and during designated public comment periods).

To the extent internet access is not available, the public can attend and comment via telephone by dialing 1-929-205-6099 and entering the Webinar ID 285 630 104.

The City Council’s agenda is available online in advance of meetings at http://www.cityofbeacon.org/index.php/agendas- minutes/. The public can email written comments or questions for regular City Council Meetings by 5 pm on the day of the meeting, addressed to cityofbeacon@cityofbeacon.org.

Any member of the public who has questions should contact the City Administrator in advance of the meeting at (845) 838-5010 or aruggiero@cityofbeacon.org.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that any Executive Session of the Council will be initiated with the Council first convening on the public videoconferencing site, and then adopting a motion to go into Executive Session.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that the City Council Meeting of Monday, April 6, 2020 at 7 pm can be accessed live at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvPpigGwZDeR7WYmw-SuDxg. Please note that there is a 20-second delay on the YouTube Live Stream.