By Mike Finney

DOVER — Legislative Hall in Dover and municipal city halls throughout Kent and Sussex counties have been lonely places throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Sen. Dave Lawson, R-Marydel, Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen and Dover City Councilman Roy Sudler Jr. continue to show up at their respective offices for work, even during the virtual meetings of the past year.

“It’s my place of employment is why I do it,” Sen. Lawson said of working from the floor of the Senate chamber. “It’s where people expect me to be. That’s who elected me, and that’s who I work for.

“I think it’s imperative we all get back in (Legislative Hall), so the public has access to us. Zoom does not allow the access that they claim because somebody else holds the mute button, so that’s a problem.”

House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, announced April 16 that the House of Representatives will convene in Legislative Hall today for the first time since the pandemic began.

The House will hold a hybrid in-person session Thursday for floor votes and party caucuses, with legislators in attendance at Legislative Hall but working virtually from their offices there. It will be possible because a vast majority of the representatives and essential staff are fully vaccinated.

The building will remain closed to the public. Social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines must be followed.

Thursday’s return to Legislative Hall is the first phase in an ongoing effort to resume in-person legislative sessions safely. The Senate is working toward an in-person return to the chamber May 11.

“It is beyond time to return to in-person meetings,” Sen. Gerald W. Hocker, R-Ocean View, said April 16. “Now that the majority of legislators and staff have either received or are able to get the vaccine, we can safely return and conduct business as our constituents expect us to. Most importantly, we must figure out a way to allow the public to participate in person, as well.”

Rep. Schwartzkopf added that the virtual meetings have continued in an effort to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

“As I have stated numerous times, the health and safety of fellow legislators, our staff and the public are my primary responsibilities,” he said. “Remaining in virtual session has been critical to that goal.

“However, we are thankfully in a position where lawmakers and staff have been able to get vaccinated, which greatly reduces the risk to them and their families, and we can begin the process of resuming in-person session.”

Sen. Lawson said it’s time for legislators to get back to work — inside Legislative Hall where they are supposed to be.

“I think it’s time that Delaware bucks up and gets back to work and starts living with the reality of what’s here instead of what might happen,” he said. “If we run from fear and hide under the desk, we’ll never get an education, will we?”

No plans yet for Dover Council to return live

Members of Dover City Council have not conducted a meeting inside their chambers at City Hall since March 9, 2020, just around the time the outbreak of COVID-19 began to take hold in Delaware.

After several cancellations of council meetings, Dover officials turned to Webex to conduct business virtually — and have been doing so since last April 13.

Many other municipalities, such as Georgetown and Dagsboro, followed suit by going the virtual route, but some — Seaford, for example — are already back to meeting in person.

Kent County Levy Court has been meeting in person since June 2, 2020, but has limited capacity due to social distancing. Kent County still makes conference calling available to those who can’t get to the meetings and puts its meetings online.

Sussex County Council has also been meeting in person with capacity limitations since last June.

Mayor Christiansen and Councilman Sudler have been participating in council’s virtual meetings from the mayor’s office and the council chamber, respectively.

Mayor Christiansen said working from City Hall just gives him a sense of normalcy.

“I have attended all the meetings during the pandemic from the office,” the mayor said. “While the Webex meetings provide a modicum of COVID courtesies, I believe that if I can go to Walmart during this crisis, I firmly believe that the business of our citizens could be conducted in our chambers.

“The challenge would be including the public in the deliberations. However, I think those wanting to speak could be scheduled and permitted to enter the chamber to speak at the appointed time. We need to return to meeting in chambers as soon as possible and as close to normal as is possible. If we can go to Walmart, we can attend a COVID-conscious council meeting.”

Meanwhile, Councilman Sudler said in February that it was time for him “to get back to managing the people’s business in City Hall based on accountability, transparency and a more professional environment for representing my constituents."

“The reason why I went back to the city’s chambers was that I started to notice that my work ethics and professional image was beginning to diminish and become lackadaisical, to the point that I was not content with my performance or interest as the 4th District representative for Dover’s City Council,” Councilman Sudler said.

“Moreover, although virtual telecommunication can render an alternative mechanism for conducting the public’s business, it is considerably challenging and frustrating when our constituents are trying to communicate their affairs or justify their position regarding a crucial matter and there are technical difficulties, consequently making it notably stressful for me as their representative to acquire the essential data for an educated vote on an issue.”

Dover City Council President William “Bill” Hare said there has been some talk about returning to in-person meetings, but so far, there has been no traction for doing so. He hinted that it could be discussed at a daylong City Council workshop Saturday at the Dover Public Library.

“It’s been brought up, but nothing has really been discussed about it,” Councilman Hare said. “I think we’re kind of following what the governor does. It’s just been talked about, but nothing has been determined.

“I thought we should have the annual meeting (in May) live, so people (including new Councilman Andre Boggerty) could get sworn in and everything, but no one has followed up on it.”

Mr. Boggerty said he believes there are measures that can be taken that can make live council meetings COVID-19-safe.

“I have been vaccinated and would be happy to return with appropriate measures exercised with the chambers,” he said. “I would love to have a glass/plastic barrier of some sort between each of us, temperature checks and limited number of people in attendance.”

Fred Neil is the senior member of Dover City Council. He said he believes the city is getting closer to returning to live meetings.

“(My wife,) Dawn, and I have both of our COVID vaccinations, which would make it safer for us to be in group settings for us and the group,” Councilman Neil said. “Therefore, I have no problem in returning to live meetings.

“I think the concern is with the size of the City Council chambers and the number of the attendees who are permitted. How would a hybrid work? Who and how many people could attend? Should we follow the example of the state legislature, which has resumed meeting in person, but those who wish to testify do so on Zoom by appointment?”

Councilman Sudler said other city employees are back to work in their offices, so why aren’t they?

“In my view, I believe that if the city of Dover’s workforce is back to work 100%, then I need to be back to work, as well, demonstrating the same commitment and dedication that they are exhibiting as part of team Dover and the City Council,” he said. “Henceforth, all legislators for the state of Delaware should consider resuming the public’s business back in its official assemblage climate, as long as they comply with the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) regulations.”