This past Tuesday, the Livingston Public Schools Board of Education held its first in-person meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020. A limited number of attendees – just 20 – were allowed in the room, and sat distanced and masked during the meeting. The rest of the viewing public watched the meeting live online, as has been the case for over a year and half.This was the first of what we assume will be several returns to in-person meetings in the coming weeks. The Township Council has similarly been developing a plan to meet in person, likely in time for the next meeting on Monday, October 25.There had been talk of returning to meetings in-person over the summer, but the delta variant put a pause on those plans. While the delta variant is still spreading, COVID case counts have been steadily dropping over this past month, prompting officials to move forward with planning in-person meetings. Recent talks focused on holding meetings at the Senior/Community Center, a much larger venue than Town Hall, but at this past Monday’s meetings it was decided to instead return to the traditional location.For some, this may still feel premature; although cases are dropping, the numbers are still high, and most people have yet to receive booster shots of their vaccines. What is the harm in waiting another month to allow COVID rates to further drop and develop a sounder plan to execute the meeting?And yet, we must admit, there is never going to be a perfect time to return to some semblance of “normal.” COVID is going to be with us, in some form, for a very long time; eventually, we must learn how to best live with it.It should be noted that the Council’s plan, just like the plan of the Board of Education, is to continue to livestream meetings for those who prefer to watch from the comfort and safety of their home (though to make a comment, people must attend in person or send an email prior to the meeting). This is a wise decision, and it would be difficult and foolish to “un-ring the bell” of such easy access to these meetings for so many.To everyone eager to return to in-person meetings, we wish you well, and are glad you now have the opportunity to do so for the first time in 19 months. To those ...
