By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

Berlin will continue to hold sessions online; waiting on Hogan’s recommendations

(May 28, 2020) After two months of holding mayor and Town Council and committee meetings via Facebook live, town officials have decided to continue the practice into the month of June.

Mary Bohlen

Deputy Town Administrator Mary Bohlen said the town is “playing it by ear” and basing their decisions on Gov. Larry Hogan’s recommendations.

“It would be very hard for us to provide the kind of distancing that is being strongly recommended and, in fact, in some cases required to limit the number of people who come in … to be a first come, first serve sort of thing,” she said. “We’ve allowed the mayor and council appropriate distancing, [but then] we run out of space in the rest of the room for the public.”

Commission and committee meetings will also continue to appear on Facebook live, although these meetings will be based on a special needs’ basis, specifically if there is a time constraint for an application or other action that cannot be delayed.

Questions and concerns can still be made to Town Hall either the Friday before the meeting (if done by letter) or by noon the day of the meeting (via email or phone call).

Questions can be emailed to info@berlinmd.gov, and should use M&C Comments as the subject line. Comments and concerns can also be faxed to 410-641-2316.

Letters can be mailed to the Berlin Town Hall at 10 Williams St., Berlin, Maryland 21811 with the subject listed as “M&C Comments.” Mail should be postmarked no later than the close of business on the Friday before the meeting to help ensure delivery is on time.

“We really are trying to do everything that we can to get public input as much as possible, considering that the public can’t actually be in the room,” Bohlen said.