Greenwich RTM Rejects Motion To Eliminate Hybrid Meetings

GREENWICH, CT — A motion to eliminate full hybrid RTM meetings and return exclusively to in-person gatherings was overwhelmingly defeated by the town's legislative body on Monday night by a vote of 53 in favor, 132 opposed and five abstentions.

The motion was brought forward by District 11. Supporters argued that the RTM is more effective and efficient when everyone is in the same room, and that in-person meetings would quell the divisiveness that has seeped into the legislative body in recent months, largely due to the implementation of electronic voting.

Opponents said the option to participate in an RTM meeting from home offered flexibility and allowed members to still be engaged while dealing with work or family issues.

"I believe each of you in this room has a unique form of leadership, and the RTM in this town needs your best, and you can't give your best over Zoom," said District 11 member Tom West, who originally proposed the motion.

"Cities and towns across this country are suffering because of crime, mental health issues, deteriorating schools or infrastructure," West added. "If we want Greenwich to be an exception, the town needs your unique form of leadership. So show up for meetings, show your loved ones that your priority as a leader in this community is to make it better, let them see that it's not easy or comfortable."

Citing many lengthy delays from online voters in the RTM's March meeting, District 11 Chair Susan Fahey said there are more distractions at home, and being in-person inspires more collaboration and camaraderie amongst members.

"The motion is something we had been discussing in our district for quite a while, and I think all of us have always agreed on the idiom, 'we are better together,'" Fahey said.

Scott Kalb, an RTM member from District 7, encouraged his fellow members to reject the motion.

"I believe that hybrid meetings allow us all the flexibility that we need to participate in RTM meetings when business or family matters intervene, that sometimes prevent in-person participation," he said.

Kalb said hybrid meetings encourage wider participation in the town's legislative process.

"We cannot afford to reduce the pool of qualified candidates for the RTM based on a requirement that they all must attend meetings in -person in order to have their votes counted," Kalb added. "We're too big a body with too many seats to narrow the field in this way."

Fahey said it's more costly to run hybrid meetings.

RTM moderator Alexis Voulgaris said it cost $11,900 to run the March meeting. The total included a flat $4,500 fee to have a representative from Meridia at Central Middle School to monitor voting. Meridia runs the RTM's electronic voting platform.

Voulgaris said eliminating hybrid meetings would have an effect on cost, but it would still take time to have employees, who are paid hourly, to set up the Central Middle School auditorium for a full meeting each month.

The RTM did not have a representative from Meridia at Monday's meeting, but will have one present during the big budget meeting on May 8, Voulgaris said.